Talks
Speakers
Events
Topics
Sign in
Home
Talks
Speakers
Events
Topics
Leaderboard
Use
Analytics
Sign in
Suggest modification to this talk
Title
Description
What happens when a linguist learns to code? by Erica Sosa When people find out about my former career as a linguist and language teacher, they often ask if my background helped me learn how to code. I started to wonder if there was some overlap between learning a natural language and a programming language. What can we draw from the fields of first and second language acquisition that will help us become better software engineers? How can we apply the principles of language learning and teaching when training new developers? Join me as I discuss my journey from Ruby as a first language to JavaScript as a second, and stay for some code-learning tips from a former language acquisition professional. #confreaks #rubyconf2019
Date
Summarized using AI?
If this talk's summary was generated by AI, please check this box. A "Summarized using AI" badge will be displayed in the summary tab to indicate that the summary was generated using AI.
Show "Summarized using AI" badge on summary page
Summary
Markdown supported
In this video titled "What happens when a linguist learns to code?" presented by Erica Sosa at RubyConf 2019, the speaker explores the parallels between learning natural languages and programming languages. Sosa, a former linguist who transitioned to software engineering, discusses how principles from linguistics can enhance the process of teaching and learning programming. Key points from the talk include: - **Human vs. Computer Language**: Sosa highlights differences in grammar between the two, emphasizing that while human language grammar is intuitive and descriptive, programming language grammar is more prescriptive and rigid. - **Language Acquisition**: She differentiates between first language acquisition—where exposure and feedback play significant roles—and second language acquisition, which involves managing transfer from the first language when learning a second. - **Pedagogical Approaches**: Sosa introduces teaching strategies from linguistics that can be applied to programming instruction, such as learner-centered instruction, content-based instruction, and maintaining engagement within the zone of proximal development— the learner's capacity to grasp concepts with appropriate support. - **Practical Steps**: Suggestions include effective pair programming, encouraging discovery learning, checking comprehension through specific questions, and avoiding jargon when explaining concepts. - **Conclusion and Future Directions**: Sosa concludes by reflecting on how her linguistics background informs her programming career and emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary approaches to programming pedagogy, borrowing strategies from language teaching to improve coding education. By drawing these comparisons, Sosa aims to provide insight into both fields and encourage better methods in teaching programming based on established principles from linguistics.
Suggest modifications
Cancel
