Dear PPIGers, the recent thread is about which language to choose for an introductory programming course. I have another question which is closer to the original intention of this mailing list: what skills from high school are needed to be able to pass such an introductory programming class?
One is obviously mathematics, especially since lecturers do like mathematical examples for programming. But such a class usually involves writing a homework program of reasonable size. I have a vague feeling that composition skills, yes, from your English/insert-your-mother-tongue-here/history class are as much important. A program is just a text, isn't it? When your teacher checks your writing she looks for logical errors, flow of thought and yes, elegance, which are important for programs as well. If you have a good teacher she values your creativity, an important personality trait for programming. Last but not least to write a program one has to consult several texts - again a philologist's skill. I guess this line of thought is not new, is there any writing/study on it? Best Wishes - Gergely
