Being able to use coding terms to explain a program is one way students demonstrate their understanding of key concepts. Correct terminology shows that students are not simply following steps to write code, but that they understand and can communicate using the language of computer science. During interactions with students, actively modeling computer science terminology helps reinforce this learning.
You should also encourage learners to use technical terms such as bug or variable. These terms allow students to explain ideas clearly and efficiently. Instead of using vague descriptions like “there was a problem because I made a spelling mistake,” students can say, “there was a bug in my script because I spelled the variable name incorrectly.”
Using this specialized vocabulary mirrors real world STEM practice. Professionals rely on terminology to communicate with their colleagues or clients. Using coding terms accurately provides evidence that students understand ideas well enough to name them, explain them, and use them purposefully.
Coding Terms | A Glossary for Kids
Coding Glossary for Kids
Do you need a computer science dictionary written just for kids? Explore our A–Z coding glossary. It explains the meaning of essential terms students should know when describing their programs and sharing how their code works.
Building a strong coding vocabulary does more than support communication. It also helps students demonstrate understanding and meet curriculum standards.
Which Curriculum Standard Connects to Coding Terms?
When students accurately apply coding terminology, it shows conceptual understanding. To align with international standards, teachers can include reflective tasks that encourage students to use computer science language when explaining their work. Not sure which standard this supports?
ISTE, the International Society of Technology Education, emphasizes student empowerment. The Empowered Learner standard (1.1.a) states that “Students connect their learning needs, strengths and interests to their goals and use technology to help achieve them and reflect on their progress.” One effective way to address the “reflect on their progress” component is through coding journal entries or coding presentations that explain how a program works. By intentionally using terms such as algorithm, loop, condition, or bug, students reinforce key concepts while clearly communicating their learning experience.
25 Sentence Starters that Use Coding Terms
Below are sentence starters your students can use in their coding journal entries to describe their goal, explain their choices, and reflect upon their learning.
Reflect Upon Goal Setting
Goal setting during program development helps students think about what the program should do. Clear goals guide planning, coding, and testing. When students are reflecting on their learning, they need to consider if their idea achieves the purpose and meets the needs of users
- My goal for this algorithm is to describe the steps for ___.
- I planned my script so that it would complete the part of the program that ___.
- The flowchart helped me outline ___.
- The user will like this solution because ___.
- I will know if my program achieves the goal when ___.
Reflect on Student Needs
A reflection should have students think deeply about the programming experience to encourage a growth mindset. They need to see challenges as part of the learning process. By considering their unique needs they can recognize progress and build perseverance.
- The part of my code that was the most difficult to create was ___.
- The bug that took the most time to fix was ___.
- The debugging strategy that I used the most was ___.
- Nested code can be confusing to write because ___.
- To improve my programming skills I need to learn more about ___.
Reflect on Student Strengths
A reflection is not only about identifying mistakes when programming. Instead, it should celebrate success and develop self-awareness. You want students to have a positive view of their abilities, motivating them to continue learning.
- The block I am most confident using is ___.
- The comment that I think will help other programmers is ___.
- I am proud of how I used a loop to ___.
- A condition I used successfully was ___.
- Iteration helped improve my project because ___.
Reflect on Student Interests
A reflection should encourage students to make personal connections. Considering their interests empowers students to take ownership of their learning and recognize what they enjoy. This can help them set meaningful future goals.
- I wanted to automate the task because ___.
- I liked working on this script because ___.
- A library I would like to learn more about is ___
- I was excited with my output because ___.
- If I could continue with the program, I would add ___.
Reflect on Design Choices
Asking students to write a sentence explaining their program is an effective way to assess understanding of coding terminology. Their response shows whether they understand terms such as variable, operator, or integer.
- I used a variable to ___.
- An operator I used to compare or calculate was ___.
- I created a function to do the task of ___.
- I used conditionals in my code to ___.
- I had to convert an integer to a string because ___.
TechnoKids Coding Courses With Reflections
TechnoKids has many courses that introduce coding terms to students in a way that is easy for them to understand. Throughout the assignments and at the completion of each project, reflection questions guide learning. Here are some of our most popular coding courses:
TechnoWhiz: Code animations and a game using Scratch Jr.
TechnoRace: Develop a rescue mission that has players race against time to collect points using Scratch.
TechnoBot AI: Use a design thinking model to build automated bots using Scratch.