Updated README with descriptions and history

Author: calaldees

README.md

@@ -1,13 +1,34 @@
+Language Reference
+==================
 
-Diff
-----
-* https://github.com/kpdecker/jsdiff
-* https://github.com/cemerick/jsdifflib
-* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Cacycle/diff - wikEd diff is a free JavaScript visual diff library for inline text comparisons
-* https://diff2html.xyz/demo.html
-
-Syntax Highlight
-----------------
-* https://ourcodeworld.com/articles/read/140/top-5-best-code-syntax-highlighter-javascript-plugins
-    * https://highlightjs.org/usage/
-    * https://prismjs.com/
+* Programming language reference for multiple languages
+* For each language: Examples of: variables, iteration, if-statements, functions, open-file, split-strings, etc
+* Select one language, or multiple languages (to compare)
+* Printable
+
+
+Rational
+--------
+
+### Teaching Aid
+
+* At the foundation level, most languages can perform arithmetic, print to the screen and loop over a sequence. When used at the high levels, languages can be very different, but most of those concepts/patterns/advanced-features are not understandable/relevant to beginners.
+* From the beginning, Learners don't identify as knowing one language. They understand that the foundation concepts apply across multiple languages. This encourages them to identify as a 'programmer' rather than just a 'python programmer'.
+* With language_reference the learners can be supported in moving between languages freely.
+* Lesson can be delivered in different languages.
+* Advanced learners can use language_reference to tackle a task in a different language to the rest of a class
+* 1 sheet A4 (duplexed) split into 4 columns for 4 languages. One sheet is not overwhelming. It can be given at the start of a course and be a familiar recurring aid. Saying "Just one column of this sheet is all the core programming constructs you need for the exam" gives a finite visual representation. Students can measure there progress on how much of the column they understand.
+
+### Professional reference
+
+* Keeping the exact syntax of 5 languages in your head at once over years can be tricky. The sheet can be used a quick lookup/refresher.
+
+
+History
+-------
+
+* 2008: Created a resource for teaching A-Level Computing and demoed it at the first ComputingAtSchool conference in 2009
+* 2012: Started the `TeachProgramming` repo with a custom version builder to split small code projects into diff chunks for learners to incrementally build mini projects.
+    * [LanguageCheetSheet.odt](https://github.com/calaldees/TeachProgramming/commits/4d152d58d2c321c5867f267d7a4e62d56b950711/teachprogramming/static/docs/LanguageCheetSheet.odt?browsing_rename_history=true&new_path=teachprogramming/static/docs/LanguageCheetSheet%20[deprecated].odt&original_branch=master) an early versions of an OpenOffice document
+* 2021: Created [dynamic html language renderer](https://github.com/ComputingTeachers/language_reference/commits/main/static/langauge_reference.html)
+* 2026: Moved language_reference to it's own repository