Have you ever wondered what it takes to transform a hesitant beginner into a confident swimmer? Whether you’re conducting swimming lessons for kids or adults, the goal is to instil confidence and swimming skills that last a lifetime.
This article tackles seven expert tips on how to teach someone to swim effectively and make learning a fun experience. It also shares a few recommendations for aspiring swimming instructors.
1. Understand The Learner’s Needs And Fears
Effective swim lessons start with understanding each student’s unique needs. Many children and adults fear deep water or are not comfortable putting their faces wet. It’s crucial for a swimming teacher to acknowledge these fears. Here’s how you can practically implement this:
- Individual Assessment: Begin by having a one-on-one conversation with each learner. Ask about their previous experiences with water, any incidents that might have led to fear, and what they hope to achieve from the lessons.
- Empathetic Approach: Show empathy and understanding. Acknowledge their fears as valid and assure them that their concerns will be addressed.
- Use of Aids: For extreme cases, consider using goggles to help get the face wet or floatation devices for those afraid of deep water.
- Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate small achievements and progress. Positive reinforcement can significantly boost confidence.
- Create a Safe Environment: Always ensure that the learning environment feels safe. This includes having clear safety rules and emergency procedures in place.
2. Begin With Water Familiarisation In Shallow Water
Water familiarisation is the foundation of swimming instruction. Begin lessons in the shallow end where learners can comfortably stand. This creates a sense of security. Here are other practical steps to help learners become familiar with water.
- Blowing Bubbles: Teach kids to blow bubbles in the water. This simple activity helps them get used to having their face close to or in the water. It also aids in breath control.
- Floating and Kicking: Start with basic floating exercises, such as starfish float (floating on the back) and jellyfish float (floating on the front). Practise gentle kicking movements while holding onto the side of the pool or a floatation device.
- Gradual Exposure: For those afraid of deep water or getting their faces wet, gradually introduce them to these aspects. Start with sitting on the pool’s edge and splashing water on the face, then progressively move to a standing position in shallow water, and so on.
3. Incorporate Fun and Engaging Activities
Swimming lessons should be fun! Games and activities make the lessons enjoyable and teach essential skills like floating, kicking, and basic arm movements. The following are some activities that you can try in your swimming lessons.
- Red Light, Green Light: This game effectively teaches leg kicking. Have the kids sit on the pool edge with their feet in the water. When you say ‘green light,’ they kick as hard as possible, and ‘red light’ means stop. This game also helps improve listening skills and establishes instructor-child boundaries.
- Ring/Coin Toss: Use rings or coins to encourage swimming to deeper parts of the pool. Both kids and adult learners will enjoy retrieving items from the pool floor, and this activity also allows them to make decisions, like choosing the number and colours of rings to retrieve.
- Superhero Glides: This game helps kids understand streamlining. Let them pick a superhero, show their ‘superhero’ arms, and practice gliding. This approach allows them to remember the skill by associating it with something fun.
- Ice Cream Scooping: Teach arm movements by having kids pretend to scoop ice cream in the water. Encourage them to take ‘big scoops,’ which also teaches them to keep their fingers together for better propulsion in water.
- F-I-S-H: This is the aquatic version of H-O-R-S-E in basketball. Players perform a swimming move that others have to replicate. It’s a great way to practise different strokes and swimming techniques in a competitive yet fun way.
4. Focus On Body Position And Basic Swimming Strokes
One of the first skills to teach in swim lessons is proper body position. This includes maintaining a horizontal position and understanding buoyancy. In addition to body position, basic strokes are also essential as they lay a strong foundation for more advanced swimming skills.
Here are some tips for effective teaching:
- Dog Paddle: Start with the dog paddle, a simple and instinctive stroke. Demonstrate the motion and have learners practise it in shallow water, focusing on coordinated movements of arms and legs.
- Freestyle Stroke: Introduce freestyle by breaking down its components. Start with arm movements, then add leg kicking, and finally, incorporate breathing techniques. Use drills like single-arm freestyle to focus on one aspect at a time.
- Drill Practice: Use specific drills for each swim stroke component. For example, for freestyle, practice arm strokes without kicking to focus on upper body movement or kick with a board to focus on the legs.
- Feedback and Correction: Provide continuous feedback and make corrections as learners practice. Use demonstrations and hands-on adjustments to help them understand the correct techniques.
5. Use A Variety of Teaching Methods
A good swim instructor knows that children and adults learn differently. That’s why adapting a variety of teaching methods is necessary to cater to the diverse learning styles of both children and adults.
- Shallow Water Method: This is ideal for beginners and is used in pool areas where learners can stand safely. It helps gain confidence quickly, facilitates easy breathing, and helps achieve a horizontal position without the need for buoyancy aids.
- Deep Water Method: This method encourages learners to swim out of their depth, enhancing strength and confidence in deep water and developing swimming stamina. It may require buoyancy aids and possibly an assistant for safety.
- Poolside Positioning: Effective communication is crucial, so the teacher should be positioned where all pupils can see and hear clearly. Ideally, teachers should be in the water with beginners for better communication and reassurance.
- Water Confidence: Allowing self-discovery is essential. Offer a variety of swimming activities to provide new experiences. Always consider the pupils’ ability and confidence levels, and never force them to participate in activities they’re uncomfortable with.
- BLABT Technique: This technique breaks down swimming strokes into Body position, Legs, Arms, Breathing, and Timing. Specific exercises or drills focus on each area. For instance, for front crawl, body position could be taught through push and glide, legs through kicking with a kickboard, arms through one-arm pull with a buoyancy aid, breathing through trickle breathing while kicking, and timing through catch-up stroke.
6. Use Flotation Devices
Safety is paramount in swim lessons, making floatation devices important. However, you should know the impact these devices can have on a learner’s progress and safety.
Flotation devices are broadly categorised into two types: those that can be let go of (like kickboards, noodles, and pull buoys) and those that cannot (like floaties, vests, and back floats).
Devices that can be let go are beneficial for improving body position, isolating skills, building confidence, and making learning fun. They teach an important lesson: if the device is let go, the support is lost.
However, it’s crucial to use these aids responsibly and in moderation, alongside skills without buoyancy assistance, to help children understand how their bodies feel and behave in the water while swimming independently.
On the other hand, wearable devices that cannot be left at home, like floaties and life jackets, are generally not recommended. They can be dangerous, create poor body position, give a false sense of security, and may lead to hesitance in submerging the face in water.
These devices often encourage a vertical body position, which is not effective for swimming and can undo the progress made in lessons.
7. Encourage Regular Practise
Regular practice is key to developing swimming skills. Establish a swimming schedule and include a variety of activities and strokes in your practice sessions.
Encourage parents to practise with their children outside of swimming class. As learners gain confidence, gradually move them to deeper water, ensuring they feel confident with each new step.
This is especially important for children, as a frequent practice helps reinforce the skills and prevent forgetting what they’ve learned.
How To Be A Better Swim Teacher?
If you want to start teaching swimming seriously, you must invest time and effort in honing your skills. Being a good swimmer is not enough, as swim teachers should effectively demonstrate techniques during instruction. Also, this helps maintain credibility and trust.
Here are more ways to become more efficient in teaching swimming:
- Obtain Professional Certification: In Singapore, being certified as a swim teacher is crucial. Pursue certifications from recognised bodies such as the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA). These certifications equip you with the necessary technical skills and ensure that you are updated on safety protocols and teaching methodologies.
- Embrace Continuous Learning and Adaptation: The field of aquatic education is constantly evolving. Stay informed about the latest techniques, safety guidelines, and teaching tools. Attend workshops and seminars and join local swim teaching associations. Adapting to new methods and technologies, like using swim analysis software or incorporating modern training aids, can enhance your teaching effectiveness.
- Develop Strong Communication and Empathy Skills: Effective communication and empathy are essential, especially when teaching beginners or individuals with a fear of water. Tailor your communication to suit different age groups and skill levels. Being patient, encouraging, and understanding individual learning paces can create a supportive and effective learning environment.
Conclusion About How To Teach Someone To Swim
Teaching swimming is not just about the physical act of swimming; it’s about building confidence, encouraging a love for the sport, and ensuring safety. As a swim instructor, your goal is to help many kids and adults transform from cautious beginners to confident swimmers.
Remember, every great swimmer started with the basics – from blowing bubbles to perfecting their arm movements. With patience, practice, and passion, teaching swimming can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
In addition to adults and kids swimming lessons in Singapore, JustSwim also offers the best swimming instructor course, which you can complete in just three months or less. Our programme covers everything from swimming techniques, teaching methodologies, and safety protocols to first aid.
Register today or contact us to learn more about our swimming lessons in Singapore!
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Teach Someone To Swim
What Is The Best Age To Start Teaching Swimming?
Children can start learning to swim from a very young age, often around 1-4 years old. It’s essential to ensure they’re comfortable and safe in the water.
How Long Does It Typically Take To Learn To Swim?
This varies greatly depending on the individual, but basic proficiency can often be achieved in a few months with regular practice.
How Can I Monitor And Track The Progress Of Someone Learning To Swim?
Set achievable goals, use a progress chart, and provide regular feedback on skill development and areas for improvement.
What Should Be Avoided When Teaching Swimming?
Avoid pushing learners too hard or too fast, relying excessively on flotation devices, and neglecting individual comfort levels or fears.
