Fostering Inclusion
Swimming lessons are essential for all children, as they provide valuable life skills, enhance physical and mental well-being, and offer a fun, social activity. For deaf and hard of hearing children, swimming lessons can be particularly important, offering unique benefits and opportunities for growth.
We’ll explore the advantages of swimming lessons for deaf and hard of hearing children, address the challenges they may face and how to overcome them, and emphasise the importance of inclusion in swimming lessons.
Benefits of Swimming Lessons for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
Swimming has many great physical and mental health benefits for all children, including improved cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and stress reduction. However, deaf and hard of hearing children can experience additional benefits, such as increased confidence, enhanced spatial awareness, and improved balance.
Through swimming, these children can develop a sense of accomplishment and mastery that extends beyond the pool.
Challenges and Solutions for Teaching Swimming to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
Deaf and hard of hearing children may face unique challenges when learning to swim, such as difficulty with verbal instructions or hearing underwater. To address these challenges, innovative solutions and strategies have been developed, including visual cues, the use of sign language, and specialised swim instructors.
One example is Puggles Swim, a program offered by Deaf Children Australia, which focuses on creating a supportive environment for deaf and hard of hearing children to learn swimming skills.
A Few Key Points About Puggles Swim
- New approach to upskilling accredited swim instructors so they can teach deaf and hard of hearing children to swim.
- Makes swimming lessons accessible in mainstream swim classes at local pools.
- Developed in partnership with Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia (SCTA), AUSTSWIM, and leading swim instructors.
- Interactive online course provides instructional videos including how to sign key Auslan signs, it teaches deaf awareness, the different levels of deafness and offers a wealth of resources to draw from..
- 3-hour course completion earns swim teachers a certificate and three Professional Development Points.
- Puggles Swim Kit includes floating characters, kickboards, and waterproof Auslan Flashcards that support learnings from the Puggles Swim online course.
- To date more than 1200 swim instructors have enrolled in the Puggles Swim course. 800 of these have completed the course and put their new skills into great effect around Australia. They are called Puggles Skippers
- Puggles Skippers are reporting their new skills are also helping nonverbal, autistic and Down Syndrome children learn to swim too.
Leigh is a Puggles Skipper who found the course beneficial for himself and his students. Check out Leigh’s thoughts here:
“I just did the course and it’s awesome. I have started using it and my kids are loving it whether they are hearing impaired or not. They are even trying to do the signs back to me. The kids I have with ADHD and autism have really taken to it and have been more attentive in class.”
The Importance of Inclusion in Swimming Lessons
Creating an inclusive environment for deaf and hard of hearing children in swimming lessons is crucial to ensuring their success and well-being. Inclusive swimming programs should consider strategies such as peer support, adapted lesson plans, and the use of Auslan to facilitate communication.
By fostering an inclusive atmosphere, deaf and hard of hearing children can fully participate in swimming lessons and enjoy the same benefits as their hearing peers. We can ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn this valuable life skill by addressing the unique challenges these children may face and promoting inclusion in swimming lessons.
Unlock a world of accessible swimming for deaf and hard of hearing children – Register for the Puggles Swim Course today!
