Time Teacher Watches and Clocks

Time teacher watches and clocks are specially designed time-telling tools that help children with dyscalculia and dyslexia learn to read a clock face. The range includes EasyRead Time Teacher watches, geared teaching clocks, visual sand timers, and large classroom wall clocks suitable for primary schools and home use.

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Our range is led by EasyRead Time Teacher, the brand whose patented "Past and To" face breaks an analogue clock into the two simple halves a child actually says out loud - past the hour on the right, to the hour on the left. Around 40 EasyRead watches and matching wall clocks sit alongside teaching clocks from Smart Kids and Junior Learning, geared demonstration clocks, wipe-clean clock dials from LDA, sand timers, and stopwatches.

Reading an analogue clock is one of the hardest abstract skills on the primary maths curriculum. It pulls together number recognition, sequencing, fractions, and spatial awareness - the exact skill cluster that children with dyscalculia and dyslexia find most difficult. A well-designed time teacher watch removes the ambiguity by showing the minutes as words on the face, so the child reads the time rather than calculating it.

Why do children with dyscalculia and dyslexia struggle with telling the time?

Telling the time on an analogue clock combines several skills that dyscalculic and dyslexic learners often find hard. The child has to recognise the numbers 1 to 12, count in fives, understand "past" and "to" as opposite directions, and translate a position on a circle into a number sentence. Dyscalculia affects the sense of number and sequence, so the leap from "the minute hand is on the 4" to "twenty past" can feel arbitrary. Dyslexia adds a layer of word-retrieval difficulty when the child then has to say the time out loud.

How does a time teacher watch help?

A time teacher watch removes the working-out step. Instead of a blank ring of numbers, the face is printed with the actual words - "5 past", "10 past", "quarter past", "quarter to" - in their correct positions, with the past side and the to side colour-coded. The child reads the time in the same sentence they will say out loud. Once the pattern is secure, many children move on to a standard watch face naturally. EasyRead Time Teacher offers Past and To, Rainbow Past and To, and Standard 12 / 24 Hour faces for staged learning.

What age should a child be learning to tell the time?

In the National Curriculum for England, time-telling is introduced in Year 1 (o'clock and half past), extended in Year 2 to quarter past and quarter to, and developed in Year 3 and 4 to five-minute intervals and 24-hour time. For a child with dyscalculia or dyslexia, that pace can feel unrealistic - the curriculum assumes mastery by age 9, but many SEND learners are still consolidating well into Key Stage 2. A time teacher watch is appropriate from around age 5 upwards, and stays useful for as long as the child finds analogue clocks ambiguous.

How do I choose the right time teacher watch or clock?

For a child just starting to learn, choose a "Past and To" face - the words on the dial do the heaviest lifting. For a confident child who is moving towards a normal watch, the "Standard 12 / 24 Hour" face is the natural next step. A geared teaching clock or wipe-clean dial sits well in the classroom or at the kitchen table for shared practice, while a sand timer or stopwatch helps the child feel duration alongside reading the clock. For SEND classrooms and schools, large EasyRead wall clocks mean the whole class is reading the same face. Bulk and school purchase orders are welcome - call 01394 671 818 for a quote.

Who is this category for?

For schools, SENCOs, and SEND practitioners, this is a core stock category for the maths corner, the SEND interventions cupboard, and the classroom wall. A time teacher clock on the wall paired with a wipe-clean dial per pupil turns time-telling into a guided exercise rather than a guess. For parents, a time teacher watch on the wrist of a child with dyscalculia or dyslexia is one of the simplest pieces of daily independence support you can buy. Pair it with our dyscalculia books and resources for at-home support.

 

Need advice? Call us to have a chat - 01394 671 818 or email us hello@thedyslexiashop.co.uk

Frequently asked questions

What is a time teacher watch?

A time teacher watch is a wristwatch with a clock face designed to teach a child how to read analogue time. The minutes are printed as words on the dial - "5 past", "10 past", "quarter to" - in the positions where the minute hand actually sits, so the child reads the time directly instead of converting numbers in their head. They are widely used to support children with dyscalculia and dyslexia.

How do time teacher watches help children with dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia affects number sense, sequencing, and the link between symbols and quantities. A standard clock face asks a child to count in fives, hold the position in mind, and translate it into a time phrase - a lot of working memory load. A time teacher watch removes the calculation step by printing the minute words on the face, so the child can read the time as a sentence rather than work it out. The Past and To layout also matches the way British English actually describes time.

Are time teacher watches good for children with dyslexia?

Yes. Dyslexia often slows word retrieval, so building a clear visual link between a position on the dial and the spoken time phrase reduces the cognitive load. The colour-coded Past and To halves give a consistent left or right cue, and the printed words act as a built-in prompt. Many dyslexic children also experience co-occurring dyscalculia or working-memory difficulties, so a time teacher watch is a quiet daily support that does not single them out at school.

What age should a child start learning to tell the time?

In the National Curriculum for England, time-telling is introduced in Year 1 (o'clock and half past), extended in Year 2 to quarter past and quarter to, and pushed to five-minute intervals and 24-hour time across Year 3 and Year 4. In practice, a time teacher watch is appropriate from around age 5 and remains useful for any child still finding analogue clocks ambiguous - which for many SEND learners can be well into Key Stage 2 or beyond.

What is the difference between a teaching clock and a geared clock?

A teaching clock is any clock designed for instruction rather than just decoration - usually with extra-clear numbers, colour-coded hands, and minute markings on the dial. A geared clock is a specific type where the hour and minute hands are mechanically linked, so when a teacher or parent moves the minute hand round, the hour hand moves correctly in proportion. Geared clocks are particularly useful for teaching how the two hands relate, which is one of the harder concepts for a child with dyscalculia.

Can schools order time teacher clocks in bulk?

Yes. Schools, multi-academy trusts, and local authorities can order in bulk on a school purchase order with 30-day credit terms, and we offer free delivery on orders over £100. For class sets of EasyRead Time Teacher watches, large wall clocks for SEND classrooms, or wipe-clean dial packs, call 01394 671 818 or email sales@thedyslexiashop.co.uk for a tailored quote.

How does the EasyRead Time Teacher Past and To system work?

The EasyRead Time Teacher face splits the dial into a "Past" half on the right and a "To" half on the left, with the minutes printed as words ("5 past", "10 past", "quarter past", "20 to", "10 to") next to where the minute hand sits. The child first reads the hour number, then reads the minute word the long hand is pointing at. Once that pattern is secure, the system progresses to the Standard 12 / 24 Hour face as the child moves towards a conventional watch.