1. Provide visuals. Support student understanding with visual examples, instructions, and explanations. Start with lots of scaffolding, and gradually remove it as students progress.

2. Encourage students. Studies show that encouragement from a teacher or parent is correlated with students having more interest in learning CS.

3. Decode the code. This strategy scaffolds the student approach as they explore example programs and helps students make methodical observations, rather than getting overwhelmed by complex code. Students who used this strategy performed better than the control group on questions about computer science.

4. Cultivate a growth mindset. Create an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions about STEM and computer science. Learning is about embracing opportunities that challenge our thinking and allow for further development.