How our time teaching resources support maths learning

It has been recently revealed that many primary school children are behind in terms of maths ability and learning, with young children often being weeks behind pre-lockdown norms. So, what can we do to support teachers and children in the classroom? Our innovative and effective time teaching resources are specifically designed to engage and empower students and support their maths learning. We aim to make the learning process both enjoyable and easy-to-understand, and with our comprehensive collection of materials, primary school children can easily explore important maths concepts and develop a clear understanding of maths. From interactive games and worksheets to engaging activities and real-life examples, our time teaching resources provide a well-rounded approach to maths learning, so read on to explore our time teaching resources.

The Importance of Maths

A good, working understanding of key mathematical concepts, and their relevance to day-to-day life is a crucial aspect of a child’s education. This understanding is not just important for academic success and basic addition – it also helps them develop problem-solving skills and enhances their critical thinking abilities. From managing finances to interpreting data, maths is an integral part of everyday life, and it is essential for children to have a solid understanding of maths from an early age.

From a young age, children are exposed to numbers and basic mathematical concepts, such as telling the time – but as they progress through primary school, the complexity of maths increases and it becomes necessary to provide them with additional tools, resources, and clear demonstrations to support their learning. However, since the outbreak of the Coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns, children of all ages have not had access to the hands-on learning process, and the resources that they need to develop their maths abilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education in various ways, and one of the areas that has been the most affected is maths learning. A recent report by the Education Policy Institute has highlighted how much primary school pupils are struggling with maths post-COVID. The report reveals a growing mathematical skills gap in the wake of the pandemic, with primary school children being 5 weeks behind in their learning when compared to expectations prior to the outbreak.

This report, hailed as a ‘wakeup call’ for politicians and policymakers alike, demonstrates that education recovery after the pandemic is not achieving the results that it needs to ensure every child is learning at the required level. The lack of in-person interaction over lockdown has greatly impacted this, as maths often requires hands-on activities and collaborative learning, and the absence of regular classroom routines and face-to-face teaching has made it difficult for children to grasp new concepts and receive immediate feedback. Finally, even if all of these factors weren’t an issue, many children lacked access to technology or struggled with the transition to virtual learning environments, putting them at even more of a disadvantage.

How Our Time Teaching Resources Can Help

At EasyRead, we understand the importance of providing effective tools to support maths learning, particularly with the nationwide push to get primary school learning back on track.

Our time teaching resources are designed to engage students and facilitate their understanding of important mathematical concepts. With a range of interactive games, worksheets, activities, and real-life examples, our resources offer a comprehensive approach to teaching maths. So, let’s explore our range of time teaching resources.

EasyRead Classroom Clocks

One of our key time teaching resources is the EasyRead Classroom Clock. This specially designed clock incorporates unique features that make it easier for children to learn and understand the concept of time, including:

⦁ A large, clear face that divides the hour into simple segments, allowing children to easily distinguish between minutes and hours.

⦁ The minute hand is longer and thinner, while the hour hand is shorter and thicker, and both hands move within a clearly designated ring, making it easy for children to read the time accurately.

⦁ Available with either the 12/24 Hour or Past & Two teaching method, depending upon the requirements of each school.

By using the Easy Read clock in the classroom, teachers can actively engage students in learning about time. The clock’s design encourages hands-on interaction and enables children to practise reading analogue time independently, as well as making it much easier for them to confidently recognise numbers. This resource not only enhances their mathematical skills but also cultivates a sense of time management and punctuality, and helps pupils to apply their new skills to their day to day lives by using the clock to observe the passage of time during a lesson or to see for themselves how much time is left until the end of the day.

EasyRead TwinTime Cards

In addition to the classroom clock, our EasyRead TwinTime Cards provide another valuable resource for supporting maths learning. These cards feature a unique double-sided design that allows children to practise both analogue and digital time and helps them make connections between the two.

By using these cards in the classroom, teachers can create engaging activities and games that promote active participation and consolidate pupils’ understanding of time. Either use the cards with the classroom clock, or Teacher Cards, by asking them to write the time down on their cards, or pair the pupils up and encourage them to interact with each other and support each other’s learning through play.

Our cards are also excellent for introducing further mathematical concepts, such as addition, subtraction, and fractions: simply use our cards to count forwards and backwards from 30, count in multiples of 5s and 10s, and discuss how the clock face can be divided into fractions in the form of half an hour, a quarter of an hour, and 10 minutes.

EasyRead Tell the Time Card Games

Our Tell the Time Cards build upon the skills learnt through our clocks and games, and focus in more detail on specific time concepts, such as quarter past, half past, and quarter to the hour.

Each card presents a visual representation of the time, allowing children to practise reading and interpreting different times through familiar games such as snap, matching pairs, buddy-up, and bingo. By incorporating these cards into classroom activities, teachers can create hands-on opportunities for students to explore different time scenarios and strengthen their time-telling skills.

Easy Read Classroom Sets

To provide a comprehensive maths learning experience, we also offer EasyRead Classroom Sets. These sets include a combination of classroom clocks, TwinTime cards, and tell the time cards, providing teachers with a complete toolkit for supporting students’ mathematical development.

By using the classroom sets, teachers can create a dynamic learning environment that caters to different learning styles and abilities. The combination of visual and interactive resources in the sets ensures that all children have access to effective tools for understanding and mastering time concepts, and creates a collaborative learning environment for all pupils to develop their own skills and support their classmates.

Choosing the Right Time Teaching Resources

Selecting the right time teaching resources for your students is crucial to their maths learning journey. When choosing from our range of resources, it is essential to consider the specific needs and abilities of your students by assessing their current level of understanding and identifying any areas where they require additional support. This is more important than ever in light of the recent reporting around the current mathematical skills gap in UK primary schools.

If your students are just beginning to learn about time, then our Classroom Clock is an excellent introduction to telling time. The clock provides a visual and interactive approach to time learning, and is always available on the wall for pupils to engage with and practise their new skills.

Once the students have built up a familiarity with the core concept of time and a basic understanding of how to tell time on their own, then our cards are an excellent way to consolidate their skills. They are also an excellent choice for students who are more advanced and need reinforcement in specific time concepts, and cater to different learning styles and abilities, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed in learning how to tell the time.

Supporting Pupils and Teachers with Our Time Teaching Resources

The challenges in maths learning post-COVID highlight the need for effective resources to support students in their mathematical development, and our time teaching resources offer a range of innovative and engaging materials designed to create a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning.

Explore our full range today to find the perfect resources to bridge the gap in maths ability and promote a hands-on approach to telling time in your classroom.