Understanding Prolog programming is a challenge for many beginners, and
many instructors and researchers have proposed and adopted varied teaching approaches
to help learners to understand Prolog easily. However, it is not known whether any of the
teaching approaches currently in use is appropriate from a learner's perspective. This
paper reports the results of an investigation into which approaches are suitable for Prolog
novices and why they are appropriate.
We first categorise the teaching approaches which are currently in use in mainstream
Prolog introductory textbooks, and highlight how they have been used over the past 25
years. We then discuss the appropriateness of each approach, by addressing their
advantages and disadvantages based on interviews with learners. Using this information, a
larger picture of the suitability of these teaching approaches is drawn, and finally we
suggest what factors may influence it and discuss possible improvements.
The findings of this study suggest that an approach based on emphasising the declarative
features of the language is the most appropriate, as a component of a blended learning
strategy.