Have you ever felt like you just don’t know where to start when teaching swimmers with special needs?

Imagine that you are in the pool, ready for your swimmer with a game-plan of skills to work through and it’s time to start. But your swimmer arrives, and it’s clear that they are just not interested in learning swim skills. You might have a sensory-seeker who is constantly going under, or perhaps your swimmer is struggling to pay attention given all the distractions within the pool environment. How do you ‘Take Action’ to get your swim lesson underway so that you can help your swimmer learn water safety and swim skills? What will you do to engage your swimmer so that they can enjoy their water experience?

The good news is you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. We hear from many instructors telling us how quickly a lesson can spiral (or not even get started!) and both the instructor and swimmer can leave the pool feeling deflated. Well fear not! We share 5 proven tips that will ensure your lessons always get off to a great start!

Lights, Camera… Action!

What do we really mean when we say ‘Take Action’ in your special needs swim lessons? We define ‘Action’ as the process of moving towards a goal.

Using the analogy of movie making, we all know that the action won’t happen until the stage has been set, the lights are on, the camera is rolling and the actors are on set ready to deliver their best performances. Likewise, there are lots of elements that come together before and during an adaptive swim lesson that require swim instructors to purposefully ‘take action’, to help swimmers achieve their goals.

Get Your Swim Lessons Off to a Great Start with These 5 Proven Tips

We asked Swim Whisperers Certified Instructors for their best tips when getting started with their adaptive swim lessons. We curated their advice into 5 essential tips, proven to get your lessons off to a good start and to keep it on track. Knowing how and when to take action is the difference between delivering an average lesson and a great one!

  • Set Goals
    Work with the parents to establish clear goals that will address the specific needs of their swimmer. Take the time to create a personalized ‘Action’ plan for each swimmer.

  • Understand the Swimmer
    Ask specific questions that help you to get a clear idea of the swimmer’s likes/dislikes and challenges. For example, instead of ‘Do they like the water?’ try asking “How do they react during bath time?’
  • Observe & Discover
    Assess your swimmers’ body language and general disposition before starting the lesson. Look for non-verbal body language cues that might give insight into how they are responding prior to their swim lesson. Listen to what they are trying to tell or show you. Watch how they are interacting with the environment. Create the right setting by adjusting your tone of voice, space or how you might prompt them to start the lesson or get them ready to learn a new skill.
  • Build Trust & Connect
    Develop a bond or connection with your swimmer, that starts outside of the pool. Learn how to interact with your swimmer. Take on a positive mindset and believe in your student’s ability. Read your swimmers’ body language and modify your approach to meet their needs in the moment.
  • Provide a Positive Experience
    Be flexible with your plan and expectations, while working towards the goals set for the lesson. Start the lesson by repeating skills your swimmer knows and is comfortable with or by doing something they enjoy, before moving on to a new or challenging swim skill. Provide positive reinforcement. Take it one step at a time with small actions, to help your swimmer get to where you want them to be.

Watch Ailene in action, as she showcases the incredible possibilities that unfold when swim instructors follow these five proven action tips.

By implementing these methods, you can ensure that every child enjoys a sensory and disability-friendly swim instruction experience that gets off to a fantastic start!

We have created a step-by-step guide for swim instructors who want to learn how to teach swimmers with any sensory, behavioral, emotional or attention challenge. Use this guide to help your swimmers with Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Down Syndrome and more learn to swim faster with ease and gain essential water safety skills.

The role that ‘Action’ plays as a strategy for swim instructors with Autistic swimmers or students with various disabilities is essential. Once you understand the 11 Areas of Focus and the 14 Roadblocks from our Adaptive Swim Whisperers Certification Program, you will be able to turn your lessons around!

Ailene Tisser, MA, PT, Founder

Ailene is a pediatric Physical Therapist with more than 25 years of experience treating a variety of diagnoses, both in and out of the water. She is NDT (Neuro-Developmental Treatment) trained in pediatrics and is trained in DIR/Floortime. She is currently certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES. Ailene brings all of her Physical Therapy expertise into the water, where she helps children of all abilities feel safe, confident, and independent. She combines her passion and skill for working with children with special needs with the therapeutic properties of the water to achieve amazing results. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience by educating other Aquatic Professionals so that they can also make a significant impact on the lives of swimmers with special needs.

Cindy Freedman, MOTR, Founder

Cindy is a recreational therapist and an Occupational therapist. After working for ten years as a recreational therapist in a variety of settings, she pursued a Master’s degree in OT. Her career as an OT includes specialty training in sensory integration, reflex repatterning, and aquatics. She is currently certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES. As a swimmer and national champion diver, Her love of the water combined with her education and work experience created them an opportunity for Swim Angelfish to become a reality! “Our mission is to create an aquatic community of trained instructors so that together we can decrease the alarming statistic of drowning being the leading cause of death for children with special needs.”