On some innovations in teaching the formal semantics using software tools

Abstract In this work we discuss the motivation for innovations and need of a teaching tool for the visualization of the natural semantics method of imperative programming languages. We present the rôle of the teaching software, its design, development and use in the teaching process. Our software module is able to visualize the natural semantics evaluation of programs. It serves as a compiler with environment that can visually interpret simple programming language Jane statements and to depict them into a derivation tree that represents the semantic method of natural semantics. A formal definition of programming language Jane used in the teaching of formal semantics and production rules in natural semantics for that language are shown as well. We present, how the presented teaching tool can provide particular visual steps in the process of finding the meaning of well-structured input program and to depict complete natural-semantic representation of an input program.