GOTO statement in programming environments for beginners? As a student, back in the day, I was exposed to high level programming languages that not only had a GOTO statement, but on which its use was common. I also did my fair share of programming in assembly code, but always had the impression that my understanding of the semantics of subprograms was enormously facilitated by my familiarity will programs constructed without them, in high level imperative languages, even though I never used them (or felt the need) in my life as a programmer, ever since.

In my experience as a teacher, the passage from non-modular to modular programming is always a struggle, and I keep asking myself the following question:

Would the careful and well-supervised reintroduction of the jump command in languages and environments devoted to introductory lessons in programming be of help students with the passage from non-modular to modular programming? 

For clarity: the usage of the GOTO statement I am talking about here is restricted to programming environments used exclusively for teaching the basics of programming, while (or where) it is still done using imperative (monoparadigm) languages. Informed opinions based on experience and/or indications of research available on the subject (I didn't find anything substantial) are really welcome.
This doesn't seem like a good idea. Normally, we teach people using a system with restrictive safety features and only remove those safety features when the learner has demonstrated competence: consider training wheels on a bike, children's safety scissors and so on. You're suggesting that we teach using a "dangerous" system (goto) and then remove the dangerous parts once the learner has demonstrated competence.

Also, I don't see how using goto would help the transition to modular programming. Modular programming doesn't tend to use goto, so it seems you're trying to aid the transition from A to B by introducing something that doesn't help with&nbsp;B. To use a rather melodramatic analogy, it's like proposing to help somebody transition from a tricycle to a bicycle by giving them a pair of scissors to use while riding: it introduces a dangerous habit that doesn't even contribute to the desired goal.