Hands-On Swim Whisperers®: Practical Strategies for Special Needs

This 3.5-hour in-water adaptive aquatics workshop focuses on the application of the techniques learned from our Swim Whisperers® Level 1 course. This training is designed for swim instructors wanting to practice their adaptive skills and will enable participants to master their teaching techniques for students with special needs.  

What we will cover

We will use interactive exercises to help participants understand how to assess and identify a student’s individual needs using the Swim Whisperers® 14 Roadblocks and recognize how to apply the Areas of Focus to help progress each student through your learn-to-swim curriculum. You will practice using techniques that can provide immediate results for your students with special needs.  

What you will learn

• Pacing of tailored lessons – gain a greater understanding of how to pace your private, semi- private and small group lessons by using multiple strategies to overcome roadblocks.

• Progressions and lead up skills – practice a variety of ways to progress lead up skills with a focus on timing, processing and interpreting touch.

• Space management within the lesson – identify when proper space management can make a difference in your lesson when using strategies for rigidity, reactivity and problems with following a plan.

• Handling students who are anxious and/or oppositional – learn specific handling for grading your physical prompts both proximal and distal, as you work towards greater independence with your swim progressions.

• Appropriate use of equipment

This exclusive workshop will be taught by Ailene Tisser and Cindy Freedman, founders of the Swim Whisperers® Methodology. You will have access to other certified professionals to network with, building a strong inclusive swim community.