Learning to Tell Time
by Gerry Kennedy
For Apple Macintosh Computers
Learning to Tell Time from IntelliTools
In this comprehensive package from IntelliTools, to suit Apple Macintosh computers, children learn all about time. It has two parts. Telling Time involves learning about analogue and digital time using clock faces and digital displays. Exploring Time investigates familiar events that children perform during the day and at night. Students also match the time of day with various events.
Designed specifically for IntelliKeys, the two packs have nine colourful overlays that are ready to use with IntelliPics multimedia activities. The setup and use of the files is so easy and uncomplicated. A “run-time” version of IntelliPics, the IntelliPics Player, is launched when you click on an activity, such as “Basic Clocks”. You can elect to explore the pre-designed questions and answer using the keyboard and mouse or you run can a “quiz”. If you have an IntelliKeys board,, the corresponding overlay is sent automatically. You simply answer by pressing on the pre-made content. You can also use keyboard and mouse if you wish. As IntelliPics has digitised and synthesized voice, you can hear all of the questions and the answers. Using the editing capabilities of the full version of IntelliPics (purchased separately), teachers can modify the content and customise the text, language, voice and even enlarge or simplify the graphics. It is so flexible and adaptable. All students can be challenged using appropriate content and concepts.
Telling Time Students begin with clock faces that represent hour and half-hour intervals. Practice using the two sections, Basic Clocks and Advanced Clocks. In the first, students can explore and match times on the more conventional analogue clock faces, or on current digital displays. In the second advanced section, they tell time on other common clock formats. These include Roman numerals and unnumbered clock faces. These suit more capable younger children, or older students or students who have learning difficulties and wish to be challenged. The activities give students immediate visual and auditory feedback, with positive cues and reinforcement, which is so important for increasing confidence and building self esteem.
Exploring Time The main thrust in this part involves matching familiar events that occur in a typical day to time. “Is the time a.m. or p.m.?” investigates the 24-hour cycle of the day with familiar activities. “About what time is it?” involves matching the approximate time of day to typical events that happen during the day. The events are depicted using text, colourful descriptive graphics and voiced speech. Students are encouraged with cues and positively phrased responses. Using IntelliPics, teachers and parents can adapt the activities to match real life experiences, modify the language used or enlarge and colour text.
Learning to Tell Time represents good value for money. Both parts have pre-designed overlays, user manuals, installation disks and educational activity instructions. As IntelliPics has so many features, you can explore the various options with your children. When used with IntelliKeys, it is indeed a powerful learning tool. Students will thoroughly enjoy the activities. It will assist in helping children identify important events and associate time more accurately. They can learn their school timetable and match activities encountered at home. It caters to junior and middle primary school classrooms maths curriculum and to older students who have special needs in integrated classrooms or special settings. It can be fun to learn to tell time!