My 9 year old still cannot tell the time, I have tried various methods but nothing seems to work - Alysia.
Most students today grow up with tablets, cell phones, and laptops at their fingertips. These tools can aid learning, but they can also encourage laziness. Here is a way to teach students these skills.
By now your child should be able to count by 1's, 2's, 5's, and 10's, up to at least 200. You can make it easier to 'tell the time' by expanding this to include counting by 15's, 20's, and 30's, as well as counting by 10's starting at any number (7, 17, 27 etc). Your 9 year old should be comfortable with this.
When you stop and think about it, all points on the clock can be reached quickly by counting various combinations of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30.
Start with 5; let him explain to you the difference of 5 minutes past 10 and 10 minutes past 10. Use a real watch, let him move it around and understand how it works. When children are taught counting skills, learning how to tell time is a very straightforward process. Without these skills, it's quite a chore. So help him build these skills!
With thanks to Mathnasium UAE. Mathnasium Al Barsha, Jumeirah, Knowledge Village, Motor City and Uptown Mirdif. Now open in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Visit www.mathnasium.ae or email uae@mathnasium.com.