top of page
Search

Tic Toc! Let's study the clock ⏰

Updated: Feb 12, 2022

I don't know if you've noticed the same thing as I did - kids struggle with telling time in their L1, especially when analogue clocks are involved. So teaching them how to do it in a foreign language can be a challenge. Of course, I'm not saying that all kids have this problem, but I've noticed an increase in that department.

Anyway, Present Simple had to happen so 'the clock' was inevitable. To help my kids study telling time in their free work cycle, I've created a couple of materials. As per usual, the materials are created in a way that doesn't require teacher's help whatsoever.


The first material (on the picture above it's the one in a plastic envelope) is based on a great game created by Pomysły Przy Tablicy. I used the clocks created for this game and put my own spin on them by turning them into a matching activity. I also added "digital clocks" so that the kids can practise both types of clocks. I've also recorded the time on each clock using PenPals so the kids can work with it as a reading or listening activity. The listening part of the activity works as the error correction mechanism as well - after matching the clocks to their written form, the student listens to the time and checks if it's the same as what is written on the big clock.

You can find the original game from Pomysły Przy Tablicy here.

Idea number two is in the one in the basket. To create it I used my favourite Memo tiles from Flying Tiger. The tiles are blank on one side and you can draw or stick anything onto them. I used sticker paper to print 4 different kinds of tiles. 4 different tiles create 1 set. One set is the same time in different forms. Complicated? 😅 Not at all:

tile 1: analogue clock

tile 2: digital clock

tile 3: written form

tile 4: recorded time

The task: match the tiles, obviously 😅 The beauty of this material lies in the fact that you can use it for a specific aspect of telling time that you need to practise. Let's say, we have a student who struggles with the analogue clock - they can use only tiles 1 and 3 or tiles 1 and 4. If we have a student who struggles with pronunciation or with saying what time it is, they can use tile 4 and any other tile with it. They don't have to match all four tiles each time they practise. It's up to them what they want to do. They can even use it as a super hard memory game. Be careful here, though, because it will take ages for them to finish 😅

I recorded the sound on my tiles using my PenPal. If you bought a PENpal from me, you have the access to the Recordings Library and you'll find the recorded times there. If you don't own a PENpal, I've created a second material for you using QR codes!! 😁 There are 24 sets in this material and it can be used many many times by just one student. It's really good for drilling.


Last but not least, came the time "spell-checks". If you've ever read my blog you probably know that spell-checks are my little baby and I love creating them to study spelling. You can check them out here.


Time telling spell check, however, is a listening practise material. If I write PenPal again you will probably stop reading, thinking it's an advertising campaign 😂 It really isn't, they don't sponsor me 😜 I do love their little product though. So, AGAIN, I used PenPal to record myself telling time (you'll find those MP3 files in the Recordings Library as well). The task is to listen to the recording and write the time, then check it. See what I mean for yourselves:

It's basically a dictation exercise but without the teacher 😅 I've created 10 pages, each with 7 different times. I laminated them, cut them in half and then stuck them back together using sellotape. This way they fold and open easily. This material can also be used multiple times by one student. Some of my kiddos would pick one a day, some would do all of them in one go. You'll know best how to use it with your students.

I have created the same set for you with QR codes and without, with space for PENpal stickers. I'm sharing one page with you in the Downloads section for free so you can check it out and see if you'd like to get the whole thing 😊 If you chose to use the QR codes and not PENpal, you will definitely need to create a system by which kids can hide all the other QR codes on one handout when they scan the specific one they want to hear. Simply because QR scanners will go crazy if they see 7 codes next to each other and will open them randomly.


So there you go, three activities for those who struggle with telling time and need additional practice. Hopefully you'll find them useful.






bottom of page