These games and activities will give your students all of the practice they need telling the time. This skill can be tricky for students that speak English as a new or foreign language. It’s a skill that involves calculations and language. Often our brains just aren’t wired to make that split second calculation while we look at a watch or clock!
I can speak from personal experience. I learned my second language (Italian) as an adult. I remember many years ago, traveling in Italy trying to communicate train times, timetables, a time to meet someone. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. Was that a quarter to or a quarter past? Sometimes after nearly 10 years of speaking this language fluently- I get mixed up! So let’s give our students some grace and give them the practice that they need!
As an ESL teacher, I used to write times up on the board and have my students orally read the time. I would stop during the lesson every so often and ask – “What time is it?” However, I just needed more material. More resources to give them the practice that they need to be be successful and not show up to a job interview late because they got the time wrong on the phone. (Yes, these games can be used with any age, adults too!). I believe that in the ESL classroom, there are no activities that are too “childish”. Learning a language comes naturally to children. They learn through repetition, visuals and play. It’s the same for adult learners. Yes, it might be a bingo game- but they will retain more of their new knowledge by playing a game than doing grammar exercises.
Since we’ve just set our clocks back an hour – Here are two great ways to practice TELLING TIME in English!
I have -Who has (Telling Time to the nearest 5 minutes
Have fun telling the time and reading clocks in English using both digital and analog clocks. Each card has an I HAVE(analog clock) and a WHO HAS (digital clock). This game works well for students that are new to telling the time (young learners) or ESL students that are learning to tell time in English for the first time using the vocabulary: quarter to, half past, quarter past, o’clock & all other times in 5 minute increments.
Bingo – (Telling Time to the nearest 5 minutes)
Do you need an activity to practice telling time to the hour, half hour, quarter hour, and five minutes? Have fun telling the time and reading clocks in English using analog clocks while playing BINGO. This game works well for students that are new to telling the time (young learners) or ESL students that are learning to tell time in English for the first time using the vocabulary: quarter to, half past, quarter past, o’clock & all other times in 5 minute increments.
TELLING TIME GAMES BUNDLE – HOUR, HALF HOUR, QUARTER HOUR & NEAREST 5 MINUTES
This games & activities bundle practices Telling Time to the HOUR, HALF HOUR, QUARTER HOUR and 5 MINUTES. It includes a card game, board game, bingo, whole-class digital game show and a poster / clock label set. This set of materials is everything you need to enhance your traditional unit on telling time to the hour, half hour and quarter hour. (bingo & card game – to the nearest 5 minutes). Great for ESL, EFL, ELL & ELA young learners.
This bundle includes everything you need:
Whole class activities:
- Bingo Game (to the nearest 5 minutes)
- Digital Telling Time Game Show (interactive powerpoint)
Small group practice:
- UNO style card game (to the nearest five minutes)
- Board Game with question cards
For your classroom:
- Telling Time Posters
- Clock Labels
Happy teaching! – Brooke
