Learning about time

What’s the TIME?

Telling time is one of those areas of Mathematics which has obvious links to everyday life.  However many students have difficulty in this area, particularly when reading analogue time.

What should they be able to do?  

The Mathematics Syllabus suggests that at least, students should be learning to read:

Kindy - o’clock time

Stage 1 - half and quarter hour time

Stage 2 - time at one minute intervals

Stage 3 - 24hr time

Some ideas for learning time at home include

• Have a range of clock types (including different number styles and those with a second hand) in use in your home.
• Give your student an analogue watch to wear each day.
• Have an analogue clock next to a digital one so every time it is used the correlation between the two is clear.
• When children ask for  the time or when giving time based instructions use a variety of language and descriptions of the time e.g. Your bed time is at 8:30pm, or half past eight.  You will need to brush your teeth 15min before at quarter past.
• Set your iphone / ipad / device clock to 24hr time

• Estimate, measure and talk about elapsed time, e.g. “I predict that it will take us 25min to get to school on this rainy day”  

When is the right time to learn about time? All the time!!