My wife receintly asked if I could teach her to program. I think the best lang to teach in is C++ (please don't argue that point, it's what I learned on and what I know best).
Other then the C++ tutorial on the C++ website, what else would you give a brand new programmer. I'm thinking boolean math, but other than that I can't think of what a newbe would need.
Any suggestions would be cool.
My preferred method for picking up a new language has always been to create mini projects. I used to write number factoring programs (basic loop, math, I/O). The nice thing about going through a book is that each chapter will give you ideas about something you could write, which gets you excited to look up everything else you need to write it.
Bjarne Stroustrup's book Programming -- Principles and Practice Using C++ is a great beginner's book. For those who don't know. Bjarne designed and implemented the C++ language.
I remember learning c/c++ with Bruce Eckel's Thinking in C++ book. I haven't checkout the latest edition but if it was as good as his first one I think it is a must. http://www.mindview.net/Books/TICPP/ThinkingInCPP2e.html
Boolean logic, Loops, Conditional statements (if/then/else), variables, what an error is and how to handle them would be a good place to start.
I would start with the classic "Hello World" - learning how to make the computer print something to the screen.
The next thing I would do is teach her how to get the computer to accept a tiny bit of user input, manipulate it, and print the result.
These activities give the student some instant gratification of making the computer do something and if they have any interest in programming this should hook them immediately.
Then I'd walk through all of the basic syntax of the language without even touching more complex concepts like references or pointers until they've got the basics down. Talk about boolean logic and start introducing control elements like for, while, etc.
Once the very basic syntax is learned, start introducing concepts like functions and code reuse.
I would target the lessons around creating something she would find useful or interesting. Perhaps something related to a hobby of hers. This certainly doesn't have to be the first goal but perhaps one you work to achieve in the long term. The lessons up to the end goal could be smaller pieces of the final product.
For example, if you wife like art then maybe doing some manipulation of images might be interesting. Instead of forming things like arrays, loops, and matrix problems around pure math try and form them around a high level topic she finds interesting. Unless of course the pure math part is what she finds interesting.
Francis Glassborow's book, You Can Do It!: A Beginners Introduction to Computer Programming is what I'd recommend. Francis was a high-school teacher throughout his working life (he basically created ACCU in his spare time;-) and knows how to teach raw, bright but totally-raw, beginners. Also see the book's web page (and thanks to @Chris for mentioning that URL in his comment!).
Just some weeks ago, I have asked a related question due to a similar situation that I was facing, I was pointed to some excellent online resources that are freely available, you may want to check out the original discussion Introductory Programming Podcasts with C++ emphasis?.
One thing I learned over the years is "Working with high quality code is worth 1000 books"
I was young and naive and my job required me to use MFC and some other low quality libraries. I was inexperienced, and I can't help but learned from the library I use and code I work with. It took me a while and working with, learning from, and getting beat up by some of the best developers to unlearn all the bad habit I picked up from MFC.
If your wife like doing things more visual, I'd recommend getting the Qt library and the demo app source code. The Qt demo has a lot of interesting but useless apps. You can pick a demo app and show her how to modify the code or add functions to do other stuff. That's how I'd teach my kids to program. Making a 3D cube spin beats printing "Hello World" to the console. As far as GUI framework goes, the code quality in Qt is generally pretty high. Qt is LGPL and comes with an IDE.
I find learning from others is the best way to learn, when I started out programming and had nobody to ask I would read other peoples code and modify it to see what happens. It is easier (IMHO) to do that than to start from scratch with a program. Maybe you could write her a starting framework for her to expand, something related to some interest of hers.
Also teach her how to use a debugger, it is very useful to see how the code executes line by line in order to understand better.
Seriously, I will teach her Python/VB/Ruby(or anything easier) at first, then I will teach C++. I think it is the most effecient way for a people want to leant C++ without any programming concept.
I have to disagree that Stroustrup's book is good for beginners. Beginers should start with something like C++ Primer or Thinking in C++ (online book available). Stroustrup's book is an excellent one and a must read by every C++ programmer but AFAIK, it is tough for absolute beginners.
Why does she want to learn to program? Based off this information, you can tailor the learning path to best fit her perceived need, at least once you get off the basics.
Whichever way you pick, foremostly, read this paper of Kevlin Henney: Miseducation of C++.
I learned on C++ Primer Plus. That said, unless she's hardcore, the ability to not get cute gui's and things pretty quick could be a detriment. I'd maybe thing about Java simply because it's standard library is so accessible.
While I love C++, I don't necessarily thing it's a good introductory language anymore.
To beginners I usually recommend Accelerated C++ by Koenig and Moo or, more recently, Stroustrup's Programming: Principles and Practices Using C++.
In my opinion Accelerated C++ is better if you've got some programming experience - in any language - but are a beginner to C++. Where Principles and Practices shines is teaching people who have never programmed.