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copied!<p>I think the best approach is to introduce 1 concept at a time. You don't need to 100% explain arrays in the first module. You can detangle almost anything by introducing 1 concept at a time. </p> <p>I would teach them in this order: Arrays, Pointers, Arrays+Pointers, OtherStuff[N].</p> <hr> <p><strong>Arrays:</strong></p> <p>You can teach simple arrays first so they understand the ability to have multiple data slots accessible from a single variable name.</p> <pre><code>//The following doesn't need an understanding of pointers int x[10]; x[0] = 5; </code></pre> <hr> <p><strong>Pointers:</strong></p> <p>Then you can teach about pointers and how they work, starting with some simple examples:</p> <pre><code>int y = 5; int *p = &y; *p = 6; printf("%i\n", y); </code></pre> <p>Make sure to give a special emphasis that a pointer is just like any other variable. It stores a memory address. </p> <p>There is no need to get into the stack vs heap just yet.</p> <hr> <p><strong>Arrays+Pointers:</strong></p> <p>How to iterate over arrays with pointers:</p> <pre><code>int x[10]; x[0] = 5; x[1] = 6; int *y = x; printf("%i\n", *y);//prints the first element y++; printf("%i\n", *y);//prints the second element </code></pre> <hr> <p><strong>Then you can teach more complicated things...</strong></p> <ul> <li>How to do pointer arithmetic.</li> <li>Array + i shorthand for array[i]</li> <li><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/671074/why-c-or-c-does-not-allow-passing-array-by-values-to-function/671076#671076">Passing arrays to functions as array pointets vs pointer param + size param</a></li> <li>How arrays are continuous blocks of memory</li> <li>Explain string literals, buffers, ...</li> <li>How sizeof works with pointers vs array types (pointer size vs buffer size)</li> <li>Explain more complicated concepts like allocating memory, <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79923/what-and-where-are-the-stack-and-heap/79936#79936">the stack, and the heap</a></li> <li>Multiple levels of indirection</li> <li>References</li> <li>How multi-dimensional arrays work</li> <li>...</li> </ul> <p>Throughout all examples make heavy use of sizeof and printing addresses. It really helps to understand what's going on. </p>

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