17
Some principles for the introduction of the Quarter Hour
Watch
The Quarter Hour Watch gives the user possibilities to develop the use in his own pace and
according to his own ability.
It is therefore important to not overload the users contact with the Quarter Hour Watch with
many explanation and instructions.
The role of the helper (personal or relative) is first to introduce the aid and thereafter serve as
support. The helper should give assistance when it is requested or when special needs come
up, for instance, when the user wants Picture cards for new activities/events, when it is time
to shift between Standard and Daylight Savings time or to exchange batteries, etc.
As a first step, it is normally appropriate to use the Quarter Hour Watch as a reminder. The
Quarter Hour Watch beeps at a chosen point of time. This function is concrete and easy to
explain.
Experience has shown that most people who use the Quarter Hour Watch regularly in this
way, after a while notice the row of circles and dots and start on their own to wonder what it
means. This means the start of a learning process which, after varying periods of time – from
days until weeks or months – often leads to the user learning on his own how to use the
information of remaining time shown on the Quarter Hour Watch. This learning process
implies a radical development of the user’s concept of time, which not can be achieved with
instructions and explanations.
New Quarter Hour Watch users often have the experience of helpers as the source of
information regarding time for activities/events: “Now it’s time to go to the bus!”, “Now the
game on TV starts!”, etc. The Quarter Hour Watch can, therefore, already function just as a
reminder to give the user great improvements in security and independence.
It is very important that the user from the start feels that it is he who has control over the
Quarter Hour Watch. Among other things, it is important that the first points of time to be
introduced are points of time important to the user himself. It is equally important that the
user himself activates the Quarter Hour Watch by choosing the Picture card and putting it in
place.
It is in this way that the interest in its use is established, as well as an interest to further
develop the ability to use the capabilities of the Quarter Hour Watch.
Bear in mind that the learning difficulties that persons with developmental disabilities have
first concern situations demanding interpretation of linguistic instruction correctly. To learn by
own experience gives, in general, far fewer problems.
There is always a risk that oral instructions are misunderstood and thereby lead to
unnecessarily prolonged learning time.
One example is the use of the words “quarter of an hour” to designate the dots on the
display. For the new user, the display simply shows a row of dots and circles, not as symbols
for the abstract concept of time. It is the daily experience of how the numbers of ”dots” vary
in different situations that develops the concept of time as shown by the Quarter Hour Watch,
a concept of time where the time unit is ”dots”, not minutes, quarter of hours or hours.
Below are some more detailed proposals of how the introduction might be carried out.
