Have students label a string’s index values to help them understand how to use Java’s substring method.
Misconception: When students trace through recursive code, they have trouble figuring out if operations are done before or after the recursive call.
Compare objects in Java to cloud-hosted documents, such as Google Docs, for a relatable analogy to explain object references with.
Teach students how to find built-in Java methods in the Javadocs documentation so they can are prepared to use this skill on the AP CS exam.
Have students practice looping through an array in as many ways as possible, such as forwards and backwards, to increase their comfort with array looping.
Have students pay close attention to loop bounds when tracing through code to help them identify and avoid off-by-one errors caused this way.
Discuss and explore the difference between additive (sequential) and multiplicative (nested) loop structures to give students practice reasoning about loops.
Encourage students to replace variables with values when tracing through code to reduce the necessary cognitive load.
Provide students with an algorithm which is written in everyday language and have students write pseudocode in order to help them practice the process of translating the ideas in their heads into code.