"Ph.D.s in education have put a great deal of effort into figuring out how to teach that skill to the kids who Just Don't Get It."
Actually, Ph.D.s in education have done a generally appalling job of researching how children learn to read. There are a few happy exceptions, but I would look more to Ph.D.s in linguistics or psychology (harder disciplines, and more evidence-based, than education in general) for advice on how to teach children to read.
Here are some sound resources on reading instruction:
Actually, Ph.D.s in education have done a generally appalling job of researching how children learn to read. There are a few happy exceptions, but I would look more to Ph.D.s in linguistics or psychology (harder disciplines, and more evidence-based, than education in general) for advice on how to teach children to read.
Here are some sound resources on reading instruction:
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Linguistic-Approach-Leonard-Bloom...
http://www.amazon.com/Language-Development-Learning-Read-Sci...
http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Dyslexia-Complete-Science-B...
So, yes, the problem with introducing programming into the K-12 curriculum is
a) figuring out how to teach it well to learners of that age of varying backgrounds and interest levels, and
b) figuring out what else gets crowded out of the curriculum.