Learning and Teaching through Swimming and Water Based Activities

The aims for this module are set into the context of the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and they relate to the SEEC level descriptors for level 2 study.

This module aims to:

1. Extend students' knowledge and conceptual understanding of swimming activities and water safety within the context of the national curriculum for physical education.
2. Understand how swimming activities and water safety can support the national curriculum concepts, processes and range and content.
3. Offer a variety of practical teaching opportunities, which develops students’ appreciation of various methods and strategies for planning and teaching swimming, water based activities and water safety.
4. Develop students’ appreciation of the concept of progression across key stages and at examination level.
5. Examine practical and ethical issues relating to safe practice, delivery and organisation in the pool in order to create a well-ordered and purposeful working environment.
6. Examine methods of assessment and reporting on work across the key stages and at GCSE examination level.

In relation to the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and the SEEC level descriptors for level 2 study, by the end of the module students should be able to:

By the end of the module students should be able to:

1. Understand the distinctive nature and purpose of swimming, water based activities and water safety and recognise its relationship to other aspects of the physical education curriculum.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of lesson organisation, management and planning to maintain a safe and purposeful  learning environment whilst identifying and solving problems to overcome challenges of an adventurous nature in lifesaving, personal survival and swimming
3. Demonstrate and evaluate knowledge of appropriate content and teaching methods, which reflect a variety of approaches to learning and teaching and of swimming activities and water safety.
4. Identify and analyse strategies for inclusion of pupils irrespective of learning needs, gender or culture into mainstream lessons

• Risk assessment is covered in detail at the start of the module and relates to the principles and policies of The University of Brighton, and AfPE (2008) Safe Practice in Physical Education and School Sport. Safe practice is then applied and reinforced throughout the course of the module and students are instructed to follow all principles and policies in non-contact time.
• Adhering to safe practice, including the management and organisation of groups in the swimming pool.
• Promotion of health and hygiene to pupils in the swimming context.
• The teaching of fundamental principles of swimming and water based activities: buoyancy, resistance, streamlining and propulsion.
• Teaching moving through water in a variety of ways: stroking, sculling, scooping, kicking, etc.
• The inclusion of swimming, water based activities and water safety in the Physical Education National Curriculum and its association with key concepts, processes and range and content.
• The teaching of swimming and water based activities using inclusive and non traditional methods.
• Use of teaching and learning styles and assessing in swimming, water based activities and water safety.
• Introduction to the major swimming strokes: front crawl, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke, techniques and individual variations related to the individual.
• Simple progressions for entries into water, including introduction to diving and competitive starts.
• Lesson content and teaching progressions for swimming strokes, peer teaching of prepared episodes of work.
• Observation and analysis of the practical performance of peers.
• Teaching competitive turns.
• Using skills in alternative ways, adapting strokes, using the principles of moving in water to develop survival skills and some of the skills and skills of synchronized swimming.
• Introduction to life saving skills: sidestroke, life-saving leg kick, treading water, surface dives, entries and exits, towing, etc.
• Teaching water-based games.
• Use of a range of ICT to enhance teaching, professional preparation, learning and performance in swimming activities and water safety.

Contact time:

Staff led theory lectures, staff led practical lectures, student led practical scenarios, group planning, teaching of Key Stage 2 children.

Non-contact time:

Individual guided reading, individual non contact written tasks, group planning tasks, individual planning tasks.

Books:

AfPE (2008) Safe Practice in Physical Education and School Sport, Leeds, Coachwise.

Austin, G. (2006) Swimming for the PE programme: illustrated teaching pack, Lancaster, Primrose.

Colwin, C. M. (2002). Breakthrough Swimming, Champaign, IlL Human Kinetics.

Cross, R., Wilson, C. (1993). Swimming Teaching and Coaching Level 2, Loughborough, ASA Publishing.

Guzman, R. (1998). Swimming Drills for Every Stroke, Illinois, Human Kinetics.

Lynn, A. (2006) Swimming: technique, training, competition strategy, Ramsbury, Crowood.

Maglischo, E., W. (2003). Swimming Fastest, Champaign, Illinois, Human Kinetics.

Journals:

ASA. (2003). The Swimmer Pathway-Long Term Athlete Development, Loughborough, ASA.

Swimming Times – 1995 - present

Electronic sources:

British Swimming www.britishswimming.org (accessed 09.04.08)

The National Coaching Foundation www.sportscoachuk.org (accessed 09.04.08)