Learning aids, a curriculum printout, a list of school rules – is there anything missing from your classroom walls this term? Whether your class has already learned how to tell the time or this is a topic you will be exploring this year, having a clock in a classroom should be a top priority for all teachers and learning support staff.
Having a classroom clock available for pupils to use helps them do more than just track the minutes left of a lesson, so let’s take a look at the 5 reasons why you should always have an EasyRead clock in your classroom.
Support the curriculum
Being able to tell the time is a fundamental skill that all UK primary school children must learn. As well as being a core topic included in the curriculum, this vital life skill is often a childs’ first introduction to the concept of time, which they must have a good understanding of before they can begin learning to read a clock themselves.
The large numbers and clear design of our clocks are intended to be seen from anywhere in the room, giving pupils a visual aid that they can familiarise themselves with before they start learning to tell the time, and then practise with as they learn. All our designs also include our simple teaching system that makes it easy for children to read the time in 3 easy steps, making it a great introduction to the time-teaching elements of the school curriculum.
Everyday practice
Once children understand the passage of time and how it is divided between hours, minutes and seconds, these new skills become useful in many other areas of life. From understanding the importance of being on time to taking responsibility for your own schedule, ongoing practice helps students to develop their understanding of time in a real-life context.
So, having a clock that all pupils have access to is a great way to encourage continued practice throughout the school day. Whether your pupils use the clock to work out how much longer is left in a lesson or to observe the passage of time across the school day, they will come to understand that time is not just a topic that they learn in school but also an important part of everyday life.
Structured learning
Without a clock in a classroom the only way that a pupil can know what time it is is to ask their teacher – and we all know how much young children love to ask questions.
So, rather than having to answer non-stop questions about what time it is or how long is left in a lesson, simply add one of our EasyRead classroom clocks to your classroom and see how well it minimises these interruptions. This will also make it easier to implement a structured routine that pupils are expected to follow, as well as setting them timed tasks and letting them track the time that they have left.
This will also help pupils stay focused on a particular task and stop them from continually wanting to know what time it is, and the ability to track their own progress and finish work within a set time frame becomes increasingly important as they grow. So, keep lessons on track and encourage their development with our range of classroom wall clocks.
Support with maths
Clocks are often one of the very first experiences that children have with numbers, making them a great introduction to maths. Our clocks contain the numbers 1 through to 30, or 1 to 60 if you opt for our 12/24 Hour clock, which familiarises children with these numbers and helps them to identify their connection to each other as time progresses.
Having a clock in a classroom helps children to apply this knowledge, as they can then go on to quickly understand the basics of addition and subtraction by counting how many minutes are left in a lesson, or how long they have already spent on a task. Our clocks are also an excellent introduction to fractions as each clock face is clearly divided into half hours and into the 60 minutes in every hour, and you can find out more about how our clocks support maths learning here.
So, whatever mathematical concepts are on your list for this term, start laying the foundations for them now with our clocks.
Pair with resources
Finally, having an EasyRead teaching clock in a classroom is most effective when it is paired with our range of classroom resources. Alongside our clocks we also supply TwinTime Cards to reinforce your pupils’ learning through fun activities, and playground clocks to encourage continued practice outside of the classroom.
Our TwinTime Cards are the perfect resource for practising the time with an entire class, as each pupil is responsible for reading the time displayed on the teaching clock and writing it down on their card. This hands-on approach means that every pupil is able to enjoy this practical activity with the whole class without being put on the spot to answer a question, and just like our clocks they can be used for addition, subtraction, and fractions, as well as learning multiples of 5s and 10s.
Our cards are available in packs of 10 or as part of our complete Classroom Sets, which also include a classroom clock and a Teacher Card for demonstration.
Our full range of classroom resources
So, don’t leave it any later in the new term to invest in a clock for your classroom by heading to our website and exploring our full range today.
Is your child struggling to contextualise the passage of time on a clock? Understanding this concept can be tricky for young children – particularly if they are unable to see the process’ relevance in the wider world. So, if you are looking for ways to help them grasp this concept and enjoy a fun activity together this summer, learning how to tell the time without a clock is a great way to teach your child about time.
Using the sun’s position
First up: using the sun’s position to work out what time it is. As we all know, the movement of the sun across the sky is actually caused by the movement of the Earth as we orbit the sun, and this daily orbit gives us a good idea of the time at different points in the day.
To get started, take your little one outside in the morning, whilst the sun is still rising in the East. Once they have found the suns’ place in the sky, explain to them that the sun will always be visible in the East before midday, and that if they’re ever stuck without a clock, then they will be able to estimate the time of day by finding the sun’s place in the sky.
At midday, take them outside once again and explain to them that the sun will always be directly overhead at midday, and then finally take them outside again as the sun sets in the West. To conclude the day, explain how, thanks to the rotation and orbit of the Earth, the sun has followed a consistent journey across the sky, and that we are able to estimate what time it is by tracking its movement at different times of the day. This hands-on method helps children to better understand how time follows a consistent pattern and its connection to the Earth’s movements, giving them a tangible representation of time that they will always be able to refer back to.
Making a sundial
Once your child has developed a basic understanding of the sun’s relevance in time-telling activities, you can begin to build upon this understanding by making a sundial. Summertime is the best time to create a sundial as you will have more hours of sunlight to work with, so before your little one wakes up, head out to the garden and find a sunny spot to place a stick upright in the ground. This stick will function as a time telling device, as its shadow length and position will change as the sun’s position changes, making it a great demonstration for any curious child wondering how to tell the time without a clock.
When your child joins you in the garden to begin the activity, mark where the sticks’ first shadow falls with a stone or some colourful chalk. Then make sure that you return to mark the new shadows position at regular intervals throughout the day to create your child’s very own sundial, and make sure that you emphasise to your child that the passage of time is being clearly demonstrated by these markers.
Tracking the North Star
Tracking the North Star is a fascinating way for parents and children of all ages to explore the passage of time by working together to chart the celestial movements. Whilst this concept may seem too challenging for younger children, it follows a similar method to the sundial activity – only this time, we can clearly see that we are the moving object in the night sky.
Start by locating the North Star, also known as Polaris, in the night sky on a warm, clear evening. The North Star is a bright star that remains nearly fixed in the same spot in the night sky whilst the other stars appear to rotate around it due to Earth’s rotation. Point its position out to your child and take a few minutes every hour or so over the next few hours to relocate the star and observe how the surrounding stars appear to change position as the Earth continues to rotate.
Don’t forget to remind your little one that this apparent movement reflects the Earth’s rotation and the passing hours, rather than the movement of the stars, as younger children can become confused if this is not routinely explained to them. Through these observations, children will be able to clearly see the steady, predictable patterns of the night sky and develop their awareness of times’ broader context, as even the stars follow the rules of time every night.
Moon phases
There are two particular ways to use the moon to track the time, and one is best completed over the course of several weeks. However, the less time-consuming activity can be done by tracking the moon’s course over a single night, so if you are planning to do this, start off by noting the time at sunset. If the moon is already visible during this time, then make sure your child clearly notes the moon’s position in the sky as the sun sets.
Over the course of the night the moon will appear to move across the sky as both the Earth and the moon rotate, so regroup once an hour until bedtime to observe the moons’ new position at different times. By comparing the moon’s position to the time of sunset, you can calculate an approximate time based on its position earlier on in the evening.
If you are looking to track the position of the moon across a longer period of time, then engaging your little one in a charting activity is a great way to keep them engaged over the holidays. Begin by observing the moon every night and noting its shape and position, and keep a moon journal to record the moon’s shape each night by shading in the shape. Explain to your child how the moon’s appearance changes due to its orbit around Earth and the varying angles of sunlight hitting its surface to help them grasp longer time periods beyond the daily cycle. Over the course of approximately 29.5 days, the moon goes through its phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter, and by tracking the moon’s phases children are able to see a clear, repetitive system that spans weeks and months.
How to tell the time without a clock
Whilst all of these activities are great opportunities to deepen your little ones’ understanding, it is also clear that the easiest way to tell the time is with an EasyRead clock or watch! As we enjoy watching the movement of the moon, stars, and our own planet through the skies, let’s take a minute to be grateful that our daily routines no longer require us to know how to tell the time without a clock – and that we instead have access to all the time-telling resources that we need.
If your child is learning to read a clock for the first time, then they are likely going to have a lot of questions. Whilst the majority of them will probably centre around how clocks work or how they demonstrate the passing of time, your child might start to look outside of their own experience and wonder how different cultures tell time. Different countries and languages can all measure and interact with time in very different ways, so if you or your child are interested in exploring how other cultures learn to tell the time, here is our guide.
Time-telling across the world
Different parts of the world have different, and often unique, ways of interacting with time, shaped by historical, geographical, and social factors. Modern timekeeping is largely uniform due to globalisation and technological advancements which have reduced modern time telling skills to a quick glance at a screen, and so it is easy for us to overlook the importance that time still holds for many cultures across the globe.
Exploring how different people learn to tell the time can reveal a great deal about their societies and the structure of their days, as many local time practices still reflect cultural identities. Whilst in Britain, our timekeeping is primarily used as a way to schedule our daily lives and has little cultural impact, in other areas the way people interact with time can vary depending upon the seasons, the time of day, and any religious holidays or festivals.
These rules, whether clearly displayed across societies or simply implied through practices that have been passed down through generations, nurture the timekeeping traditions of different areas and keep them from fading. So, before we get into a deeper exploration of how cultures across the world learn to tell the time, let’s take a look at how interactions with time differ from country to country.
Interactions with time
Cultural attitudes towards time vary significantly around the world, reflecting deeper values and revealing much about the numerous different ways of life. These diverse attitudes towards time and its passing not only influence daily schedules and social norms but also reflect broader cultural values and priorities, shaping how people interact, conduct business, and manage social relationships.
For example, in countries such as America and the UK, time is viewed as a way to keep track of the different stages of the day and informs which actions we take next, which has resulted in a structured approach to time management and a strong emphasis on punctuality, scheduling, and efficiency. Time in the West exists to keep us on track and manage our tasks, and this strict approach to time is also one shared by several East Asian societies, particularly across Japan and South Korea. These areas often have a considered and measured approach to time, valuing punctuality and structure highly and viewing time as a resource that must be managed wisely. However, it is important to remember that many of these attitudes are unwritten, and can only be observed through daily interactions, rather than through the study of time.
In contrast to these more rigid contexts, where time is money and lateness is seen as an insult or indicative of one’s commitments, many other societies have a more relaxed attitude towards time. Primarily found across Middle Eastern and Latin American cultures, these attitudes are informed more by social factors than strict schedules, and measurements of time are often event related, meaning that the conclusion of an activity is generally more reliant on the judgement of the participants rather than the amount of time allotted on a clock.
By taking the time to observe these different ways of scheduling, planning, and utilising our time, we can explore the different societal and environmental factors that inform our engagement with the concept of time. What may seem unusual, or sometimes rude or wasteful, to one culture is often informed by many centuries of societal development and cultural norms, illustrating the multifaceted nature of time across global cultures. Despite being seen as a universal concept that touches every area of humanity, the ways that we interact with time have been adapted to suit the requirements of different societies across the world: so, no matter where you come from, there is always something to be learned through exploring the different attitudes to time.
Telling the Time
As our understanding of time differs so much depending upon where we come from, it goes without saying that how we learn to tell the time differs greatly as well.
For as long as humanity has been able to observe the sun rising and going down, and the turn of the seasons as temperatures dropped and crops stopped growing, we have been developing ways of tracking it. Ancient cultures such as the Maya and Egyptians developed advanced calendar systems that integrated astronomy and seasonal cycles, which informed our understanding of time and eventually led to the development of a worldwide 12-month calendar based on our planets’ movement around the sun. This shows that the natural progression of time is inherently circular and relies upon continuous natural loops, but over the centuries, we have moved away from astrological ways of tracking time – although there are still cultures who use natural indicators for tracking religious or cultural events.
Time-telling methods vary globally, influenced by cultural, historical, and environmental factors, and these variations remind us that time’s perception is as much a cultural construct as a scientific measure. However, there is one universally accepted and utilised tool that helps us all measure time: the clock.
Clocks
Across the world, clocks are used as a visual representation of the passage of time, and whether we use it to create our schedules or track our time, they are always there to show the hours, minutes, and seconds as they pass.
Throughout the US and Europe, people predominantly use the 12-hour and 24-hour formats on digital or analogue clocks, with many of the historical ways of telling the time long forgotten by the advancement of time-telling resources. The timekeeping practises of many East Asian cultures is also similar to these methods, as they utilise both digital and analogue clocks and the timekeeping system divides the day into 12 two-hour periods, whilst Latin American cultures use the 12-hour format – although often without strict adherence to exact times and with a more flexible, relaxed approach to time.
Both the 24-hour clock and the 12-hour clock represent the same units of time, but the passage of time is displayed in different ways. The 24-hour clock, often referred to as “military time,” is a widely adopted format that eliminates the ambiguity present in the 12-hour clock system by making it immediately clear which part of the day is being referred to. For instance, 18:00 immediately indicates late afternoon or early evening, whereas 6:00 on the 12-hour clock could be early morning or evening and requires the additional specifier of “a.m.” or “p.m.” to clarify. Despite this, the 12-hour format has a long historical identity and is deeply embedded in the daily life and culture of the regions that use it.
Cultural methods
In many other areas of the world, the erasure of traditional methods is not as widespread, and many cultures utilise a blend of traditional and modern methods that reflect their cultural nuances. This is particularly evident in global Islamic cultures, as prayer times are crucial and Muslims are expected to pray up to five times a day. This schedule is maintained year-round, and the yearly calendar also contains numerous religious holidays depending upon the movement of celestial bodies, as the month begins with the new crescent moon in the Islamic calendar, and astrology remains a key focus of their festivals and celebrations.
Similarly, whilst the majority of the Indian subcontinent follows the standard 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats, the landmass still contains rural areas and cultures that utilise traditional time units as cultural measurements. Although they rarely depend upon them for modern-day timekeeping, these traditional and cultural attitudes towards time continue to coexist with contemporary methods despite the rapid global modernisation.
How to tell the time with EasyRead Time Teacher
The enduring popularity of cultural timekeeping methods alongside modern practices highlights the complexity of how humans perceive and manage time, and understanding these varied timekeeping approaches offers valuable insights into the social fabric of different cultures, reflecting each community’s values and routines.
The range of clocks offered by Easy Read Time Teacher reflects this widespread diversity, accommodating the different time-telling styles that shape our daily experiences and interactions. So, whether you are searching for an English, French, Spanish, or Welsh clock to learn to tell the time with, explore our full range today and find the best resources for your needs.
If your syllabus for the new year includes teaching your pupils to tell time, or you are keen to hone their new skills in 2024, then make sure that your classroom is equipped with our classroom clocks and teaching resources. Designed with functionality and accessibility in mind, our clocks are the perfect tool for teaching young children how to apply their new skills and knowledge. Featuring clear, easy-to-read designs and robust structures to withstand the wear and tear of a busy classroom, these clocks are specifically designed as a visual aid to help pupils grasp the concept of telling time, so make time teaching a group effort this new year with our essential teaching clocks.
The importance of the right classroom clock
The right clock for a classroom plays a vital role in teaching children how to read the time and in creating a learning environment. They serve as a visual aid that helps pupils understand the concepts of minutes, hours, and seconds, as well as the relationship between these three and how this creates the passage of time. By having a teach the time clock prominently displayed in a classroom, pupils are able to practise reading and interpreting time in a real-life context, as well as develop core life skills.
Classroom clocks promote time management skills. By having a clock displayed prominently in the classroom, pupils develop a sense of time awareness, and learn how to allocate and manage their time effectively whilst completing a task, meeting deadlines, or remaining punctual to lessons. Clocks also help to create a structured learning environment, as teachers can use them to establish a clear routine that pupils are expected to understand and follow. This includes clearly showing the time left for a specific task or lesson, helping to keep the class on track and minimise disruptions, as well as reduce the number of questions around the time or how long is left in a lesson.
By having an easy-to-read clock prominently displayed, pupils are able to practise reading and interpreting time in a real-life context, so read on to explore the unrivalled benefits offered by our specialist range of clocks.
EasyRead Classroom Clock
Our EasyRead Clocks are designed specifically for classrooms, as their clear, large design makes them visible from all areas of the classroom and ensures that all pupils, regardless of their seating position, can easily access the time.
The simple and engaging design of our clocks is perfect for nursery and primary school classrooms, as well as those who are just starting to learn about the time, as a hands-on teaching aid that introduces the concept of time. Depending upon the preferred method of your school or pupils, your clock can show either the “12/24 Hour” method or the “Past & To” method, as each design has been specially made to make it easy for children to learn to read the time. This simple teaching system contains all the relevant scaffolding that a child needs to confidently recognise numbers, identify the hour and minute hands, and piece together the method to reveal the correct time, and is a great way to start your class on the time-telling elements of the school curriculum. To help with this, the curriculum notes are printed on the back, providing you with a handy reference while teaching, and the hanger makes it easy to securely rehang the clock after a demonstration.
Our specially designed school clocks are made to save time and reduce frustration for pupils and teachers alike, as well as helping pupils build confidence in their own abilities. By hanging one of our specialist clocks in your classroom, you can eliminate the need for pupils to constantly ask you to tell them the time. So, with our clocks, you and your colleagues can focus on teaching, knowing that you have a reliable and effective tool to support your teaching and reinforce your lessons on time.
EasyRead Playground Clocks
The design of these clocks is the same as the rest of our range, including the option to choose either the “Past & To” or “12/24 Hour” method, depending upon the time format taught by your schools’ curriculum. This standardised design allows for a continuation of the pupils’ learning across indoor and outdoor spaces, reinforcing what they have learnt and offering them the ability to read the time themselves, no matter where they are.
With their battery-operated mechanism and robust designs, our playground clocks are built to withstand the elements throughout the school year. The weatherproof powder-coated steel frame and toughened glass lens protects the face from any potential damage, and means that these clocks will continue to function come rain or shine, providing a reliable and accurate time display for your pupils. So, whether these weather-proof clocks are installed in the playground, entrance ways, school garden, or onsite sports facilities, teachers and pupils alike can incorporate time-telling challenges into various outdoor activities, so add one of our clocks to your outdoor space and watch as learning and fun blend seamlessly together.
Other teaching tools and educational activities
To further enhance student learning, our range can be easily combined with our range of educational resources for a streamlined, standardised approach, and additional learning opportunities for pupils. Here at EasyRead Time Teacher, we offer a range of resources that complement the methods used by our clocks, including:
⦁ Tell the Time Cards: These cards are designed to work in conjunction with a school clock to enhance the learning experience and allow pupils to practise telling time through engaging games. These cards feature 15 different times of the day, and pupils of all ages can use these educational resources to play a range of games, including snap, matching pairs, buddy-up, and bingo, to practise their new skills and reinforce their understanding of time in a fun and engaging way.
⦁ TwinTime Cards: The twintime cards are a particularly useful interactive learning resource, as they allow pupils to compare and contrast different times, further developing their understanding of the passage of time. They are a hands-on learning tool that have been specifically designed for primary school children to work through time-related activities and challenges, by adjusting the moveable hands to visualise the relationship between the big and small hands.
⦁ EasyRead Classroom Set: For teachers who want a comprehensive set of teaching resources, the EasyRead Classroom Set is the perfect choice. This set includes an EasyRead clock, tell the time cards, and twintime cards, equipping your classroom with everything you need to create a dynamic and interactive learning environment.
By integrating our clocks with these additional teaching resources, visual aids, and interactive activities, teachers across the country can prepare their classrooms for a year of hands-on learning and ensure that their pupils have access to the resources they need to reinforce their understanding of time.
Enhancing student learning with the right classroom clock from EasyRead Time Teacher
Teaching pupils to read the time is an essential skill, and our classroom resources and clocks are on-hand to support your pupils and maximise their learning. These resources are designed with accessibility and functionality in mind, featuring clear, easy-to-read designs and robust structures that can withstand the demands of a busy classroom, so be sure to promote a multi-faceted approach to learning in 2024 and give your pupils the opportunity to reinforce their learning with our full range of classroom clocks and teaching resources.
Are you struggling to support and encourage your child who can’t tell time? From the ages of 6 and 7, your child will be taught this life skill in schools, but if your little one is struggling or falling behind, then don’t worry – whilst this is likely a source of worry for your family, teaching children to independently read the time is often a challenging task and will probably require the use of additional resources and extra support. That’s why, at EasyRead Time Teacher, we are dedicated to making learning how to tell the time an accessible and engaging experience for any child or adult who can’t tell time. From engaging aids, to our EasyRead clocks, our resources and interactive tools make learning a fun and engaging experience and support parents and children alike to become confident in telling time.
The struggle of telling time
Learning how to read and understand the time is a crucial skill for any young child’s development. Not only is it important for their syllabus and academic development, but it also helps them understand the concept of the passing of time, manage their daily routines, and develop a sense of responsibility. However, some children may find it challenging to grasp this concept, leading to frustration, a sense of falling behind their peers, and concerns around their own capabilities. If your child can’t tell time or is struggling, then it’s important to identify the signs early on and understand the common reasons behind their difficulties.
The most obvious sign that your child is struggling with telling the time is their inability to read analogue clocks or understand the relationship between the hour and minute hands. For young children, many of the challenges come from low level confusion that arises in the moment, rather than a deep-rooted confusion around the passage of time and the overwhelming responsibility of learning to track this passage. However, if your child’s confusion comes from being unable to understand the relationship between numbers and time, or struggling with concepts like half past, quarter past, and quarter to, then their learning will greatly benefit from the inclusion of resources, games, or real-life examples into their daily routine. Additionally, if your child is consistently late or struggles to manage their personal time effectively, it could be an indication that they need additional support to develop their understanding of time.
Supportive strategies to help your child
If your child is having trouble developing this life skill, don’t worry – these difficulties are much more common than many parents realise, and there are several strategies you can employ to support their learning and help them become confident in this essential skill:
1. Use visual aids and resources: Visual aids, such as our EasyRead clocks, provide a tangible representation of time and make it easier for children to understand the relationship between the hour and minute hands. Our clocks and resources feature colour-coded circles for the different hands and clear labels for the 12/24 hour and past and to methods, making it easier for children to break down the overwhelming concept of time into smaller, actionable steps that make it easier to interpret the time.
2. Create a daily routine: Establishing a consistent daily routine is a quick and accessible way to help children develop their understanding of time progression and how it relates to their daily activities. Set regular times for meals, bedtime, and activities, and involve your child in following the schedule by encouraging them to remind you of the time, or by regularly asking them what time they perform a specific task and how much time they have left before then.
3. Break it down: Time is an overwhelming concept for small children, especially when faced with analogue clocks and complex concepts. In order to break down the learning process into smaller, manageable steps, start by teaching them to identify the hours, then move on to the half-hour, quarter-hour, and so on, backed up by consistently asking them to practise telling you the time. Gradually introduce more complex concepts as they become comfortable with the basics, including switching to the 12/24 hour method or introducing a digital clock.
4. Make it fun: Learning should be an enjoyable experience for children, particularly when learning an important skill that they will need to use for the rest of their lives. Incorporating games, activities, and resources into their time-telling practice will help your child come to see time as a puzzle to be solved, or an engaging activity, rather than a complex or overwhelming task, and will develop a positive relationship with managing their own time.
By employing these supportive strategies, you can help your child overcome their difficulties and develop a solid foundation in reading and understanding time. If you’re interested in exploring key educational resources to boost their understanding and practise reading the time, explore our recommendations below.
⦁ Using clocks for teaching and practising
Analogue and EasyRead clocks are invaluable tools when teaching children to understand and practise their time telling abilities. They provide a clear and easy-to-read display of the time, down to the minute, making it simpler for children to identify the current time quickly and with minimal confusion. Introducing clocks throughout your home creates a learning environment in which your child is constantly exposed to time-telling opportunities, without becoming overwhelmed by these new concepts, so here are some of our key recommendations.
- EasyRead Wall Clock: Hang this wall clock in your child’s bedroom or in their play area for the ideal introduction to reading the time. With their clear, easy-to-read designs and silent operation, our colourful clocks use either the past & to or 12/24 hour teaching methods and are perfect for the whole family to use to support your little ones’ time-telling skills.
- EasyRead Alarm Clock: Our alarm clocks feature a large, clear display with a simple design, silent sweeping movements, and an LED nightlight for a discreet and useful addition to your child’s bedside. They’re perfect for teaching children the basics of time-telling and means that they are able to read their clock if they wake up in the middle of the night, or if they wake up before it is time to get out of bed. They also feature a crescendo alarm and a built-in light sensor that matches the brightness of the room according to your child’s preferences.
- EasyRead Wrist Watch: A wristwatch is a portable and practical way for your child to practise reading the time on their own terms throughout the day. With their clear, colour-coded dials and simple teaching method, our watches make it easy for children to practise their time-telling abilities wherever they go, making it the ideal first watch for children aged 4 and above.
By incorporating our clocks into your home decor and your child’s daily routine, you can create a supportive environment for your child to practise and reinforce their time-telling skills.
⦁ Using games to practise and reinforce time-telling skills
Learning to read a clock doesn’t have to be a tedious task, particularly if your child is struggling more than their peers or is becoming overwhelmed by having to practise a skill that they don’t yet fully understand. To combat this, there are numerous fun activities and games you can incorporate into your child’s learning that will not only engage them, but also provide opportunities for them to practise and reinforce their time-telling capabilities whilst playing with friends or family.
If this sounds like the best course of action for you to take with your child who can’t tell time, then here is a rundown of our recommended activities and games from our range:
- Tell the Time Cards: Our cards feature engaging, interactive designs that support children to practise reading and interpreting the time at home. Our easy-to-use cards feature different times of the day and can be played in various ways, such as snap, matching pairs, buddy-up, and bingo, and are designed to cater to the abilities and needs of different age groups, ensuring that children of all ages can engage and learn at their own pace.
- TwinTime Cards: Our TwinTime Cards offer a unique and hands-on approach to interactive time telling practice. With a Past & To dial on one side and a 24-hour time dial on the other, our double-sided cards allow children to independently move the hands to display different times, and then quiz family members or friends on the displayed time. This game enhances children’s understanding of both methods of reading a clock and encourages critical thinking, but also supports other skills like counting forwards and backwards, learning fractions, and counting in 5s and 10s.
By incorporating these activities and games into your child’s learning routine, you can make the time-telling process an enjoyable and interactive experience.
⦁ Collaborative learning
Working with your child’s teacher to support their learning and develop a coordinated approach to practising is a proactive way to ensure your child has all the support and resources that they need. Teachers have access to various resources and strategies that can complement your efforts at home, including playground clocks and classroom sets, so, take the time to discuss your child’s struggles with their teacher and work together to identify the best strategies and resources to support their learning. This collaboration between home and school will provide your child with a well-rounded and consistent approach to learning this important life skill, giving them the best possible opportunity to overcome their struggles.
Celebrating your child’s progress with EasyRead Time Teacher
Teaching and supporting your child may present challenges, but with patience, support, and the right resources, they can develop this essential skill. If your child currently can’t tell time, then be sure to celebrate their progress, no matter how small, and continue to utilise our range of resources and aids to make the learning process engaging and enjoyable for both you and your child.
Explore our full range today, and equip your child with the resources and confidence they need to develop valuable time-management skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.
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.
As students up and down the country return to school after Easter, now is the perfect time to stock up on the latest and best teaching materials for your classroom. As an educator, you know how important it is to have the right tools to help your students learn and stay on track, and with a variety of specialist designs and colours to choose from, our teaching time clocks are perfect for any classroom or teaching style. Our classroom resources, including playground clocks and card game resources, are perfect for daily use in a classroom and ensure that you have a consistent approach to teaching time. So, get ready for the new term with confidence and ease, and let our range of time-teaching products do the hard work for you.
Time Teaching Clocks
If you are planning on introducing your pupils to the concept of time this term, or building on their existing time-telling skills, then our time teaching clocks are an excellent resource for your classroom wall. Our clocks are specially designed to contain all the information that a child needs to learn how to tell the time, with easy-to-read numbers and colour-coded segments to ensure every student can access the resource from any part of the room.
View our full range of teaching time clocks here.
“The children found it so helpful to learn about which half of the clock shows past and quarter, including all the different intervals, because it is colour-coded! They also have these really cool children’s watches, which have the exact same face as the teaching clock, so I will definitely be putting this up in my classroom!”
@ nrashid_x
Twin Time Cards
Our TwinTime Student Cards offer an excellent and engaging opportunity for pupils to practise telling the time. Each card can be used individually, for a more formal test, or in groups to encourage pupils to support each other and are also an effective resource for introducing students to elements of the primary school numeracy curriculum. The cards are designed to be durable and long-lasting, as well as easy to maintain, with a high-gloss, write-on wipe-off PVC sheet, and ample room for the students to fill in the time displayed on the clock.
View our TwinTime Student Cards here.
“Easy Read Time Teacher has this amazing wall clock which I just absolutely love: it splits up the concept of time really simply and it’s a great visual for children to use. And I just love the student teaching aid that they can write on with whiteboard pens. I love the durability of this and it’s great for working through problems with children one-to-one.”
@ missvanbeck
Watches
Our EasyRead wrist watches come with the same clear face designs and teaching methods as our clocks, for a consistent and comprehensive approach to teaching time. Whilst many of your pupils will no doubt already have their own watches, having a designated classroom watch offers many opportunities for pupils to practise their time-telling abilities. For example, the pupils can take it in turns to be the class Time Monitor, who keeps track of their daily routine, or who the other students can ask to tell them the time, creating an engaging and practical time-telling environment that encourages all pupils to participate.
“Telling the time is a fundamental skill, and it’s so important to get the teaching of time right (..) I can’t wait to teach time, so I can use some of the great resources provided by EasyReadTimeTeacher. I can’t wait to have a time monitor, so that the children can all have a turn wearing the watch. I think they will love using it to tell the time.”
@ misscsclassroom92
Playground Clocks
Our range of Playground Clocks feature similar face designs to our classroom clocks and watches, reinforcing their learning with uniform designs that contain all the information they need to practise telling the time during breaks. The durable and reliable weatherproof clock can be used anywhere in the school, including outdoor spaces such as playgrounds, gardens and school entrances. The powder-coated steel frame with toughened glass ensures durability and longevity and is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, making our playground clocks a worthwhile investment in your students as they learn to tell the time themselves.
Stock up on Classroom Resources for this term
Now is the perfect time to stock up on the latest and best classroom resources for your class. Our range of classroom resources, including clocks and card games, are perfect for daily use in a classroom and ensure that you have a consistent approach to teaching time.
Find the right resource for your pupils and your classroom, or explore our range of resources for use at home, in our full range of time teaching products.
Learning how to tell the time can be a challenge for any child, or adult for that matter. As well as being a requirement as part of the primary curriculum, being able to identify time and understand time as a concept is an important part of a child’s development and growth. For those who have dyscalculia, learning how to tell the time is even more challenging, and often requires special accommodations or teaching techniques. It is often hard for parents and caregivers to know how to help a child with dyscalculia learn to tell the time, as the child will engage with clocks and numbers in a different way. Time teaching resources, such as our clocks, games and aids, can make a real difference to their learning, as well as supporting adults with dyscalculia.
What is Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is often referred to as ‘mathematical dyslexia’, and is a condition that involves difficulty with numbers or mathematics. The most common symptoms of dyscalculia include difficulty performing calculations, counting backwards and understanding place value, as well as weak overall mental arithmetic skills and difficulty remembering basic mathematical facts.
For those with dyscalculia, many daily activities involving numbers become difficult, such as addition and subtraction, paying for goods with cash, and telling the time. There are several practical ways that parents can help a child who struggles to tell the time due to dyscalculia, and one of the most effective is to invest in teaching products and techniques to use at home and in the classroom.
Many of these products can also support adults with dyscalculia who may struggle to tell time, as they are designed to simplify the timetelling process for people of all ages.
How to help a child with dyscalculia
If your child has dyscalculia, or is demonstrating symptoms of dyscalculia, or you yourself require assistance, then our time telling range offers fun and useful assistance in learning how to tell the time.
Clocks
For many children with dyscalculia, the hand placement and basic design of analogue clocks can be very confusing. On almost every clock, there are only 12 numbers, meaning that up to 80% of the information needed to learn how to tell the time is missing. This places those with dyscalculia at an extreme disadvantage and makes telling time a difficult task for people of all ages. Our EasyRead clocks include a clear breakdown of all 60 minutes and can be read in 3 simple steps that can be learnt quickly and memorised for a lifetime, supporting those with dyscalculia from childhood to adulthood.
This will be particularly effective when teaching your child how to recognise numbers that are close to the hour. For many children with dyscalculia, 7:55 and 8:05 will be almost identical to 8:00, so our clocks reduce the confusion around these numbers and will make learning digital time much easier later on.
Our clocks also feature bold and colourful designs and easy to read numbers to encourage engagement. Visual models, as well as engaging designs, break down the wider concept of time and make it much more accessible and easier for people with dyspraxia to tell time by combining numbers and colours in straightforward systems.
Games and Aids
Educational and fun activities are always an effective learning tool, and children with dyscalculia respond particularly well to objects and games that make time telling simple and engaging rather than complicated. Our games encourage children to interact with time and numbers outside of the clock and makes learning time fun and engaging for anyone at any age!
Our games make the challenge of telling time rewarding, rather than daunting, and can be enjoyed during family time or playtime. Many children with dyscalculia often feel confused or embarrassed when learning to tell the time, particularly in school, and our games are a low-stakes alternative to tests or worksheets. If you yourself have dyscalculia, then these games will be an effective and fun way to improve your own time telling abilities whilst supporting your child.
Finding the perfect clock
When teaching young children with dyscalculia to tell the time, or interacting with an adult with dyscalculia, the best resource you can use is a positive and patient mindset. Finding a strategy and resources that work for your child will encourage them to tackle new challenges and boost their confidence when it comes to completing other number-related activities.
To find out more about the features and benefits of our EasyRead clocks, or to discover your preferred time teaching method, please click here.
It’s been a hectic few months for us here at EasyRead Time Teacher, attending five major trade shows in the first 3 months of 2017. In the UK you may have seen us talking to teachers at BETT and the Education Show, or showcasing our products to retailers at the Spring Fair. We also made our first marketing trip into Europe at Spielwarenmesse (International Toy Fair) in Nuremberg, Germany; and we’ve been showing our products to USA educational retailers at EDexpo in Las Vegas. We were shortlisted as finalists in the UK Educational Resources Awards, thanks to our KS1 maths time-teacher classroom sets.
We’re now pleased to announce our latest new product, which will be available in Australia, the UK & USA by the end of April. We have been hard at work for the past year developing our children’s alarm clocks – perfect for a child’s bedroom! We’ve given our alarm clocks three great features:
- A crescendo alarm, which starts with a gentle beep and gets progressively louder until it is turned off or the snooze button is pressed, delaying it for 5 minutes;
- The clock face is back-lit and acts as a night light, which glows gently in the dark and gets brighter when the snooze button is pressed;
- A silent sweep movement so there is no annoying ticking sound.
Our alarm clocks are available in two colour schemes – rainbow or red & blue. Of course we have made them for both time teaching systems – Past & To or 24-Hour. The alarm clocks have the same face designs as our wall clocks and children’s wrist watches, and come with a reminder of our simple step-by-step time teaching methods. Click here to view the new EasyRead Alarm Clocks.
EasyRead Time Teacher watches are a fantastic present to give to the important child in your life.
Our clocks and watches are a brilliant and educational gift for the little ones in your family. Children all over the world have loved taking ownership of their learning – it’s great to see children teaching themselves and having fun doing it. Every child has to learn how to tell the time as part of their Key Stage 1 Maths syllabus, so why not give them a helping hand with one of our wristwatches?
They’re comfortable and colourful, with a large clear face that shows children everything they need to know to tell the time. The wristband will fit even the tiniest wrist and it’s removable so it can be washed.
Click here to see our EasyRead watches.
With an EasyRead watch, a five year old can learn to tell the time in just 10 minutes. Click here to see what our customers say.
Don’t worry, our 3-step process is very easy to master and our free resources are just a click away. We have all the support you need.
In addition, we also offer clocks for the home. Our 3-step teaching system is easy to master, enabling the children to learn with very minimal input from the adults around them. Click here to view our EasyRead clocks.
