Visual cards break down barriers for inclusive swimming lessons
A PIONEERING visual teaching tool has launched in Edinburgh, making swimming lessons more accessible to everyone.
Supporting Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water’s vision to create ‘Generation Swim’, SwimPix – a collection of waterproof visual instruction cards- is helping to transform how Edinburgh Leisure and George Watsons swimming teachers communicate with their students.
The cards represent the latest learning development in the Learn to Swim National Framework, which currently helps around 81,000 children and adults learn to swim each week across Scotland.
SwimPix features multiple display options, including sequence boards and lesson planners, covering lessons through pictures which children with autism, hearing impairments, or where English isn’t their first language may find benefit – supporting the Framework commitment to creating inclusive, supportive and quality environments in which individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability or skill level.
Alison Bell, Founder of Aswim, said: “SwimPix are a tried and tested teaching and communication tool for swimming teachers that helps create a more inclusive swimming environment.
“It’s great to see teachers using SwimPix and children having fun in the lesson with the cards. It really reduces anxieties and helps children know what the teacher is asking them to do, therefore faster learning.”
Edinburgh Leisure and George Watsons are two of 37 Learn to Swim providers who are introducing the SwimPix cards in their lessons across 165 pools in Scotland.
Euan Lowe, Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Swimming, said: “By making swimming lessons more accessible through tools like SwimPix, we’re taking another significant step toward our mission of creating a generation of confident and safer swimmers.
“These visual teaching resources ensure that swimming really is for everyone – breaking down communication barriers and helping all children feel included and supported in the water.”
Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water said: “Learning to swim and understanding water safety are vital life skills, especially in Scotland where we have so many miles of rivers, reservoirs, lochs and coastline to enjoy.
“Rolling out inclusive teaching tools like SwimPix is such a positive step, helping provide opportunities for every child to learn the vital knowledge and skills to help them feel safe in, on and around water – and help their parents and family network feel confident and comfortable in their swimming abilities.”
The initiative forms part of wider efforts to remove barriers to swimming across Scotland, with visual learning tools becoming increasingly important in inclusive education.
The Learn to Swim National Framework has already seen more than 100,000 children take part in lessons up and down the country and is targeting another 100,000 by 2025.
For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit:
https://www.scottishswimming.com/learn-to-swim
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