To expect a 15yo NT child to be able to tell the time?

[clary]

Just that really. Teenager I was talking to today got out phone to see what the time was - I pointed out a nearby clock - "I can't read that" by which he meant not that he needed glasses, but that he didn't know how to tell the time on an analogue clock.

I was really shocked - is this usual? Are we, thanks to mobile phones and their ubiquity, moving to a time when young people will only understand a digital clock? And does that in fact matter?

[PureMorning]

I'm 29 and cannot tell the time on a clock face.
Many people have tried to teach me but I can't seem to grasp and retain how.

I just have a digital watch so it's not a problem.

[RegTheMonkey1]

I can remember in Primary One we were all taught how to tell the time, the teacher used a big plastic clock face and she'd move the hands round as she explained. Then, at intervals through the morning she'd send someone out of the classroom to go into the hall where there was a big clock mounted on the wall. The pupil had to read the clock and then come back to the classroom and tell everyone what time it was.

[KatherinaMinola]

DSis couldn't tell the time until she was 15 - this was in the 70s. I suspect (due to a pattern of other things) that she had dyspraxia (which she either grew out of or found work-arounds for). She's fine now and in all other respects distinctly NT - higher degree from RG uni etc.

[Picklesauage]

There is a difference between telling time and reading a clock. This is something I have had drummed into me by ed psych at school! Not being about to tell, calculate or understand time is s problem. Not being able to read a clock is not. It is in fact one of the most common types of dyscalculia. My DH does advanced mathematical coding in his job, but cannot rad an analogue clock without real effort.

So long as he understands time and can read digital time it is merely an inconvience.

[Pipbin]

When I talk to the children I teach I find that many of the children who struggle to learn to tell the time with an analog clock don't have them at home.
I'd ask children to look for clocks at home as their home work, most children would say that the only clocks the house would be on the microwave or the cooker. I'm not being judgey there. The only analog clocks in my house are in the kitchen and in the living room.
Time is one of those things that you tend to learn by osmosis and seeing your parents look at the clock and say things like 'well it's half past 8 now so you've got 5 minutes before we need to leave.'

One year I was teaching children to tell the time to the hour and half hour. I showed the time of 8.30 on the board and ask the class what time it was. One little girl put her hand up and said 'my mum says that time is mega late.' I can just imagine the mum pointing at the clock each morning and saying 'look at the time, it's mega late now.'

[Mrsjayy]

Thats the thing though as long as you understand time then it isn't a huge deal most teenagers understand time but can't manage it sigh

[KatherinaMinola]

That's probably true, Pipbin, but some people just have a problem. I learned to read a clock at 5, DSis at 15. Same parents, same upbringing.

[Pipbin]

I'm not saying it is the whole cause, but I think it does contribute.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I agree it's not just down to upbringing, I have failed many times to teach DD(19). DS on the other hand worked it out for himself at about 5. It's down to which way your brain works.

[lynniep]

I don't think its common.
However I have trouble reading the time and always have. Its not because I wasn't taught in school, I just struggle to see what it says immediately like I can when I read a word.
I have to work it out (so that clockface picture queentilly has posted above does not indicate to me what time it is at a glace. I have to really look at it, work out where the hour hand is, then work out where the minute hand is, and then I can tell you what time it is). I don't have an issue with time calculations - just reading a clock face.

[GnomeDePlume]

DS is mildly dyslexic and struggles with this.

DH is straight down the line dyslexic and also struggles with telling the time, order of the months, order of days of the week and left and right (which makes for some interesting navigation discussions in the car!).

On the other hand DH is a far more able mathematician than me and also far better at estimating, time management etc.

[KatherinaMinola]

Oh yes. I, on the other hand, still cannot tell my left from right.

What a family we are

As long as you asked me what time it is and my sister for directions you'd be fine.

[DiddlyBiddly]

I'm another who struggles to tell the time, though an otherwise fairly academic, including A Level Maths!

I can read analogue clocks, but like someone up thread said, I have to look and think, I don't just 'get it'.

My personal theory is that it makes less sense to children now, as they're used to metric measurements, rather than imperial, and it doesn't fit into 100 easily, whereas feet/inches etc on a 12 base are more closely related.

[DiddlyBiddly]

Oh also struggle with left and right. When giving directions I will regularly say left but point right

[HappyAmbler]

This is a really interesting thread! My dh, who can't tell the time, gets right and left mixed up very frequently (not helpful when I'm driving and he's giving directions!)

[shakemysilliesout]

I finally got clocks in yr 6/7 aged 11ish. Wasn't easy.

Interestingly another issue is the way we express time like quarter to 5 or half past. In Germany instead of half past 5 they say half to 6- which causes confusion and in some American states they say quarter of instead of quarter to. So you can understand clocks and time and still be screwed internationally!

[unlucky83]

Left and right confusion - put both hands in front of you, backs facing upwards, finger together - move thumb down - so they make a capital L shape - the L (right way round) is your left...
I did it a slightly differently with my DCs but harder to describe...basically anyway you can make a L shape with your thumb - except palms up! - works ...

[Pipbin]

I find analogue clocks easier to understand. Especially as you can see how far through the hour you are. It's easier to add to as well.

[DiddlyBiddly]

unlucky That's what I have to do. Constantly

[Dragonlette]

I'm a maths teacher and it came to our attention last year that we had a number of pupils in year 10 and 11 who were not able to tell the time. We now do a very short test at the start of year 10 and put on an intervention group during registration. There are 7 NT pupils (out of 200ish) in our current year 10 who are attending once a week for about 6 weeks. So there's not many who can't, but more than we thought.

[duchesse]

Dragon - 6 sessions to teach NT 15 yo how to tell the time?

[speedbird17]

DiddlyBiddly are you my twin? Pointing right and saying left is some big that drives DH insane...

[IgnoreMeEveryOtherFuckerDoes]

I honestly don't think its a biggie as we live in such a digital world, DD 17 struggles with analogy clocks it takes her a while to master out yet she is excellent time keeper

[DiddlyBiddly]

Speedbird DP gets quite cross, I shouted at him for missing the turning on the right. Poor chap was absolutely bewildered, seeing as I'd told him to go left

I have to tell people to follow my hands not my voice

[Dragonlette]

Duchesse it seems like overkill doesn't it. For some of them it is, for others, they just need the practice and little and often gets it through to them in a way that one longer session wouldn't. The sessions are only 10 mins long though.