...to expect everyone to be able to tell the time on an analogue clock?

[TamaraDeLempicky]

Over the weekend, DS's friend (13) told me that he can't tell the time by looking at an analogue clock. I was shocked! He said he doesn't need to because he has a digital clock on his phone.

I have various analogue clocks around the house and at work which I use all the time. Do you think everyone should have the ability to read an analogue clock?

I do think "telling the time" is one of those skills that a lot of people do struggle with, or may not ever manage to do competently, and it's not got nothing to do with intelligence per se. I know a doctor who has to think about it to discern left and right, something I know as easily as up and down. She is not stupid, she is far brighter than I am, but it's not something she grasps easily.

Seeing the time on a digital clock is not remotely the same as telling the time and I don't think parents are doing their children any favours having only digital at home. We are like a PP who has a clock in every room, even the bathroom (why not? So handy to see how much getting ready time you have left when you're brushing your teeth). I'm sure it does make a massive difference to how much practice a child gets at telling the time.

DS learned this even before school (from books), I recall in a meeting in infant school his Y1 TA saying he excelled at telling the time, he would tell her "Mrs X, it's three minutes to twelve, it'll be lunchtime soon". He was five. He is lucky that he simply didn't find it hard to learn. Some people do, just as some struggle with tying shoelaces, putting a decent half-Windsor in their tie, organising their timetable, writing legibly or managing cutlery.

We all have different strengths and weaknesses.

I've found that people with dyslexia struggle with analogue clocks. And with time in general.

My husband is the most intelligent man I've ever known, and he struggles with analogue clocks. I have no idea why, all I can think is maybe some people's brains are wired slightly differently, making certain tasks harder to click in their minds.

**So I should add, I think YABU OP.

Theholidayarmadillo4

Why is so much time spent on this?

I remember doing it in school, if you are actually in France and ask someone the time they show you their watch.

On the dyslexia thing, I had digital watches from age 10, I did eventually learn to tell the time but I was in my teens.

I know 'how' to do it, but I had to work it out rather than just glance at it.

I did once have a watch where the 'hands' were circles so at 12.00 the watch looked like it had 2 dots at the top and then concentric circles a bit like the one linked below.

No one could tell the time on it apart from me.

gizmodo.com/free-time-watchs-concentric-circles-move-to-tell-the-ti-5499905
Times for shops or time tables all use figures.

Well I wouldn't say we spend a lot of time on it, maybe 3 lessons in year 7 and that's probably it. We don't only teach French so that people can go to France and speak it in the street, but I get what you're saying.