Swim Whisperers® is Your Solution for Special Needs Swim

Feeling stuck? Swim instructors face a unique set of challenges when teaching children with special needs like Autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, or motor, emotional, and physical challenges. It can feel frustrating when you’ve exhausted all your strategies, and your students still aren’t progressing through your swim curriculum.

We understand this and that’s why we created the Swim Whisperers® method which teaches you how to adapt your teaching style for swimmers with disabilities and provides guidance on how to modify traditional swimming techniques to accommodate different physical abilities and limitations.

We believe every child deserves to be safer, more independent and confident in the water. Our goal is to empower you to make a real difference in the lives of these amazing students and their families.

Looking to gain new skills, develop your team of swim instructors or launch an adaptive program at your swim school?

We’ve got the tools, strategies, and ongoing community support you need to transform all abilities!

The Importance of Adaptive Swim Training

The demand for certified adaptive swim instructors is skyrocketing as the number of individuals with disabilities continues to rise.

A staggering 15% of all public school students received special education services in the 2022-23 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Moreover, 1 in 36 children have been identified with Autism, and over 3 million children (4.3%) in the United States have a disability. These figures underscore the urgent need for specialized aquatic instruction.

Certified adaptive instructors are uniquely qualified to provide safe, inclusive, and effective swimming experiences for individuals of all abilities.

Transforming Lives, One Stroke at a Time

The Swim Whisperers® training empowers you to transform lives in the water! We go beyond traditional swim lessons, offering a comprehensive approach to adaptive instruction.

Here’s what the Swim Whisperers® Multi-Level Online Training covers:

  • Adapting Techniques for All Abilities
    Forget “one-size-fits-all.” We’ll equip you with the knowledge to modify traditional swimming techniques to suit swimmers with various special needs or disabilities. Learn how to create individualized lesson plans that cater to each student’s unique needs.
  • Personalized Learning for Unique Needs
    Not all individuals learn at the same pace. We’ll guide you on how to tailor your teaching styles to accommodate diverse learning styles and paces, ensuring each student progresses at their own comfortable speed.
  • Building Trust with Sensory Sensitivity
    Some students may experience sensory sensitivities or anxiety. We’ll provide you with practical approaches to build trust and rapport, creating a comfortable learn to swim environment for everyone.
  • Creating a Safe and Inclusive Program
    A positive learning environment is crucial. We share strategies to foster a safe and inclusive atmosphere where every swimmer feels valued, empowered and has critical water safety skills.
  • Unlocking Swimmers Potential with Equipment
    Dive into the world of adaptive aquatics equipment! Discover the latest tools that can help you address specific challenges and unlock hidden potential in your swimmers.

With the Swim Whisperers® certification, you’ll gain the confidence and tools to create transformative learning experiences for swimmers of all abilities.

Highly Recommended: What Instructors Are Saying

Swim instructors are raving about the Swim Whisperers® Certification Program!

91%

Recommend Swim Whisperers®

In a recent survey, an impressive 91% of participants who completed the Swim Whisperers® Certification training reported being likely or very likely to recommend the program to fellow instructors.

93%

Course Satisfaction

Survey results also revealed that a remarkable 93% of participants were satisfied or highly satisfied with the content and delivery of the Swim Whisperers® Certification training.

96%

Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Most importantly, 96% participants agreed or strongly agreed that the Swim Whisperers® program has significantly improved their ability to teach kids with special needs and disabilities.

Boost Your Confidence in Teaching All Abilities

Do you feel uncertain about teaching kids with special needs, disabilities, or learning challenges like ASD or ADHD? Some common concerns that swim instructors have when teaching the SEND population include:

  • Lack of Training and Knowledge
    They might not have received specific training on how to work with children who have special needs, leading to a lack of understanding of the best techniques and strategies to use.
  • Fear of Not Meeting Individual Needs
    Special needs swimmers often require individualized instruction and modifications, which can be daunting for someone who hasn’t had experience. The instructor might worry about their ability to effectively adapt techniques to each swimmer’s unique needs.
  • Communication Challenges
    Some children with ASD, ADHD or those who are non-verbal might have different ways of communicating, or they may have sensory sensitivities. Instructors might be unsure about how to effectively communicate and build rapport with these swimmers.
  • Behavioral Concerns
    Children with learning challenges or disabilities might exhibit behaviors that are unfamiliar or challenging to manage, causing apprehension for instructors without experience in handling such situations.
  • Safety Concerns
    Ensuring the safety of all swimmers is paramount, and the instructor might feel anxious about their ability to maintain a safe environment for children who might have physical limitations or are prone to anxiety and sensory overload.
  • Lack of Confidence in Adapting Techniques
    Modifying traditional swimming techniques to accommodate different physical abilities and limitations can be challenging, and an instructor may lack the confidence in their ability to make these adjustments effectively.
  • Understanding and Using Adaptive Equipment
    There might be a lack of familiarity with adaptive equipment or assistive devices that can support learners with special needs, leading to uncertainty about how to use these tools correctly and effectively.
  • Emotional Sensitivity and Support
    Building trust and rapport with students who may have emotional sensitivities or anxiety about water requires a special set of skills that instructors may not feel equipped with.
  • Different Learning Styles and Paces
    Adapting teaching methods to suit various learning styles and paces can be overwhelming, especially for instructors who are used to more traditional methods.
  • Concerns About Using Inclusive Language
    Instructors may worry about unintentionally offending someone by using language that is not inclusive or respectful. This concern can stem from a desire to be respectful and inclusive, but without proper guidance, it can also lead to anxiety about saying the wrong thing.

The good news is that the Adaptive Swim Whisperers® program will help alleviate these concerns and support swim instructors and aquatic professionals on their adaptive aquatics learning journey.

Our recent graduates of the program told us that their confidence in their teaching ability increased after completing the certification program!

Change in Confidence

after completing the certification program

Importance of Certification

for swim instructors to be certified in adaptive aquatics

Certified Adaptive Swim Instructor: Make a Splash in Inclusive Aquatics

Our online certification teaches you how to assess and identify roadblocks, and how to apply the correct strategy to overcome them. Our comprehensive training program, created by Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) experts will empower you with an effective, proven toolbox to strengthen your adaptability and confidence when teaching swimmers of all abilities.

So, the question is what’s stopping you?

Dive in and take our adaptive online Swim Whisperers® Level 1 training and join the wave of aquatic professionals worldwide to be certified!

Source: Swim Whisperers® Consumer Satisfaction Survey, August 2024-September 14, 2024 n=54

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.”