Show students the long and short hands on the clock. Explain the difference between the long hand and the short hand; the long hand tells the hours and the short hand tells the minutes.
Inform students that the number the hour hand is placed on indicates the hour of the day it is. Stress that if the hour hand is between two numbers, the hour of the day is the first number that the hand is between. For example, if the hour hand is on or between the number 6, the hour of the day is 6 o'clock.
Explain to students that each hour is made up of 60 minutes. Tell them that unlike the hour hand, the number of the minutes isn't always clearly written on the clock. Explain to them that in regard to the minute hand, the numbers on the clock are split up by fives; in order to tell the minute, students should count by fives on the clock. For example, if the minute hand is on one, the minute is five; if the minute hand is on 2, the minute is 10 and so forth, until reaching the number 12, which is the start of a new hour.
Allow students to practice telling time. Start simple, beginning with time on the hour; 1:00, 2:00 and so forth. Once students are comfortable, begin changing the minute hand, but only place it on numbers; 5:10, 6:15 and so on.
Continue to explain that the dashes on the clock between each of the number helps to determine individual minutes. Place the minute hand one dash behind the number three. Ask students to count by fives to determine what the three represents in regard to minutes -- 15. Since the 3 represents 15 and the minute hand is one dash past the number three, the minute is 16.
Put the minute hand on dashes between numbers and let students practice telling time. For example, arrange the clock hands so they say 7:21 or 8:39.
Provide help when needed. Allow students to practice telling time on an analog clock as often as possible. Randomly ask students to tell you what time it is at different points of the day. State a time and have children arrange the hands on the clock to show the time you have stated. The more practice students have with telling time, the more proficient they will become.