Learning to swim by FIIBL

LEARNING TO SWIM Improvement of Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swimming Proficiency

INTRODUCTION

In the period 2001-2013 the number of fatal drowning accidents in Denmark was more or less steady with 60-70 deaths per year. In 2010 and 2011 the number fell to 48 and 43 deaths per year respectively, while in 2013 48 people drowned. This is comparable to 2010 and 2011 and still below the average for the period 2001-2013. The same drowning statistics indicate a trend towards a historically low number of drowning fatalities among children and young people (< 18 years) in Denmark. In 2013 only two of the 48 victims were under 18 years and since 2009 the number has been constantly low with one to two children per year. This is significantly fewer than in the past, when between four and seven children a year died in drowning accidents. Of course this is a positive development in terms of the number of fatal drowning accidents in Denmark (2001–2013), but one death is always one too many.1 A swimming proficiency study, conducted by the analyst firm YouGov in 2014, indicates that one out of two Danish children between the ages of seven and 14 do not live up to the following Nordic definition of being swimming proficient: 200m free continuous swimming without assistive devices, 50m of which must be on one’s back. The ambition of the Learning To Swim project is to increase the percentage of Danish children and youth who live up to the Nordic definition of swimming proficiency and to support Danish municipalities in fulfilling their responsibility related to school swimming. What follows is a summary of two reports2, which form the basis for the research part of Learning To Swim. The purpose of this part of the overall project is to develop, implement and evaluate new and innovative models for swimming lessons to ensure the effective learning of basic swimming skills.

Learning To Swim was launched by the Danish Swimming Federation and the Danish foundation, TrygFonden. Research & Innovation Centre for Human Movement & Learning3 participates in the project as a research partner. The project will run over a three-year period from 2015-2017.

1. TrygFonden’s National Drowning Statistics 2015 (downloaded from www.TrygFonden.dk). 2. Lüders, K et al. (2015): Del 1: Forbedring af børns svømmeduelighed: Et litteraturstudie af hvilken stilart der er mest optimal, når børn skal lære at svømme. Published by Research and Innovation Centre for Learning and Human Movement, University College Lillebælt and University of Southern Denmark Dalsgaard, J. et al. (2015): Del 2: Forbedring af børns svømmedueligheder: Kortlægning af muligheder og udfordringer i skolesvømning i 19 udvalgte kommuner. Published by Research and Innovation Centre for Learning and Human Movement, University College Lillebælt and University of Southern Denmark 3. www.fiibl.dk

REPORT ONE SUMMARY - A literature review of the optimal age and swimming stroke for children when learning to swim.

On the basis of the above, this preliminary study focuses on two specific questions: 1. What swimming stroke is the most effective to begin with, when children are learning to swim? 2. What age is the most desirable for children to start learning to swim? Throughout the 1970s there were some attempts to systematically examine the two questions. Since then both issues have only irregularly been investigated via empirical studies. Although the issues have frequently been discussed among swimming coaches and teachers, there are currently no clear answers to the two questions (Wilke & Daniel, 1996). Consequently, we need to examine both issues more closely if we are to come up with qualified answers, which might help to either consolidate or poke at conventional thinking about swimming lessons, and thus help to make swimming lessons more effective. Although the main goal of the literature review was to identify existing knowledge about the two questions, it should be stressed that the study is not rooted in a large body of scientific literature. Very few scientific studies have investigated the two questions empirically. That is why the literature review includes relevant background literature and reports from a number of swimming experts. Consequently this review - based on the basic principles of a scoping study - draws on: scientific articles; dissertations; articles reflecting experience, attitudes and points of view; a selection of books on swimming; and meetings and contacts with experts.

What swimming stroke is the most effective to begin with, when children are learning to swim? In the Anglo-Saxon swimming tradition one starts with front crawl and backstroke as the first strokes, while Scandinavian-Continental swimming tradition tends to favour breaststroke, specifically when it comes to swimming lessons in school. On the whole, the selected articles and books on swimming confirm this pattern. But in practice the situation is more mixed: partly because, throughout the 1970s and beyond, many teachers and coaches in the Scandinavian-Continental tradition were greatly inspired by the Anglo-Saxon tradition. This means that throughout Europe and in Scandinavia there are many school teachers, and in particular instructors in clubs, who begin with front crawl and backstroke as the first strokes, when children are learning to swim (e.g. Nielsen, 1982; Madsen & Irgens, 2008; Madsen & Faveri, 2013). The most effective stroke for children to begin with needs to be assessed in relation to the framework conditions, to which swimming lessons are subject. For example, if more than 15 swimming lessons are allocated, children can start with front crawl and backstroke as the first strokes. If there are only a very limited number of lessons available, breaststroke may very well be preferable as the first stroke. However, a number of authors emphasise that the choice of stroke to start with is still unresolved and maybe even irrelevant. What we should work towards is ensuring a versatile approach to swimming, in which the focus is on children using the learned skills in practice (initially, survival and safety) instead of a classic orientation towards â&#x20AC;?the four strokesâ&#x20AC;? (Stallman, 2011).

What age is the most optimal for children to start learning to swim? In Denmark, swimming lessons are usually given in the 4th and 5th grade (figure 1) where the pupils are between 10-12 years old. Several studies included in this literature review emphasise that the optimal age for children to learn to swim is somewhere in the age span 5-11 years. However, like the question of what stroke to start with, this wide age group also relates to the contextual conditions, to which swimming lessons are subject. Therefore it is very hard indeed to come up with a precise â&#x20AC;&#x153;best ageâ&#x20AC;? for learning to swim. On the other hand, it can be emphasised that age, content and other relevant circumstances (for example, readiness to learn, motor skills and psychosocial development etc.) should match each other. In this context, there is predominant consensus that eight years of age or thereabouts is optimal for children to learn to swim - provided that they between the ages of five and seven have taken part in versatile acclimatisation activities in order to acquire basic skills in water before they start on the more focused learning of strokes. Because such a two-piece setup is currently difficult to implement, at least in Danish primary schools, the best age to learn to swim will therefore most often be between 8 and 11 years.

Pre-school 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 0

15 (number of municipalities)

Figure 1: Grades in which pupils at present receive swimming lessons. Based on data from nineteen Danish municipalities. The municipalities might offer school swimming at different grades and different schools. Therefore, the number of municipalities in the figure exceeds nineteen.

REPORT TWO SUMMARY - A mapping of challenges and opportunities associated with swimming lessons in Danish public schools.

The focus of this second report is the opportunities and challenges stated by key stakeholders involved in running school swimming. Danish municipalities are required to provide swimming lessons for pupils as part of physical education classes. But the legislation provides a broad framework for the practical implementation of swimming lessons. Hence, the provision by Danish municipalities varies significantly in terms of method of instruction, content and objectives. It therefore seems necessary to explore how school swimming lessons are actually organised, prioritised and implemented in primary schools, while at the same time indicating ways of implementing school swimming lessons other than the typical model, in which the school’s own teachers with a swimming teacher’s certificate conduct the teaching. Qualitative interviews were chosen as the methodological approach for data collection, in order to achieve a more complex insight into the opportunities and challenges associated with providing swimming lessons in Danish primary schools. 19 of 98 Danish municipalities took part in the study. 69 interviews were conducted with stakeholders at three levels: 1) Municipal/administrative level 2) School Management level) and 3) Swimming teacher level.

Variety of models for school swimming lessons The mapping of school swimming, conducted in this study, resulted in four typical models for the organisation and implementation of swimming lessons: 1. The Traditional Model: A half or whole year’s course of swimming lessons in school - including the cost of hiring the swimming pool and the purchase/loan of lifeguards. 2. The Partnership Model: Several municipalities outsource swimming lessons to the local swimming club, and the lessons are conducted exclusively by the club’s instructors or in collaboration between an instructor and a teacher. Usually a half or whole year’s course. 3. The Intensive Model: A significant number of swimming lessons over a short period of time (e.g. 14 days) with a swimming teacher or instructor from a swimming club involved. 4. The Alternative Model: Some schools have long transport times to swimming facilities while being located only a short distance from the sea, and may therefore be able to achieve cost savings by moving their swimming lessons outdoors.

Opportunities At all levels the respondents indicate that they believe there are opportunities in relation to the subject of school swimming. Overall, swimming lessons come across as a popular opportunity for providing pupils with an active break in the school day, at the same time equipping them in terms of safety, given that they live in a country with a long coastline. At the municipal/administrative level the main point is that the abolition of school swimming lessons is considered as a means of saving money, since the legislation does not stipulate that the lessons have to take place in water. In addition, on a more positive note, focus is on collaboration with local swimming clubs and entering into so-called partnership models to ensure the continuation of quality school swimming lessons. Several school managers regard swimming as a means of creating more physical activity during the school day.

Swimming teachers mention the possibility of moving swimming lessons to grade one or two, instead of maintaining them at grade four or five, to capitalise on the pupils’ readiness to learn and to prevent them from developing aqua phobia. Teachers have a lot of freedom to choose the method and content of swimming lessons. As regards swimming stroke there is broad consensus for starting with the front crawl, because it comes most naturally to children.

Challenges Several challenges also come up. At all levels, it is clear that there is limited assurance of the quality and effect of swimming lessons. At the same time, in the municipalities that do not provide swimming lessons in schools (three out of 19),4 there is a challenge of complying with the legislation, unless they provide lessons on dry land. At the municipal/administrative level the primary challenge is to maintain the provision of school swimming lessons in terms of finances and prioritisation. School managers point to the lack of educated swimming teachers as a minor challenge. They prefer to use their own swimming teachers, but currently only few teachers have the relevant training to teach in swimming. Several teachers see it as a challenge to teach swimming as a subject, when the teaching takes place within a limited framework (lack of time in water, pool space etc.). They prefer to call the subject ”aquatic readiness” (Langendorfer & Bruya. 1995) because of their playful approach to swimming and to emphasise the focus on making the children comfortable and safe in water. Swimming teachers vs. swimming coaches Swimming teachers consider coaches to be challenged on the pedagogical front, while swimming coaches believe that teachers are in lack of focus on technical aspects in their teaching. These aspects also came to the fore among respondents in a report from 20125, in which the conclusion was that both teachers and coaches were able to deliver quality swimming lessons. The differences that occur in the teaching, its quality and effect may be more rooted in individual factors than in one-sided academic background.6 The two groups could benefit from balancing their skills, expectations and mutual understandings of each other, because in an increasing number of municipalities they must work together in various partnership models. In this context, the focus is on local swimming clubs as a partner, who can help to ensure the survival of school swimming lessons and provide good quality teaching. Resources In many municipalities school swimming lessons are challenged by scarce resources and the accompanying need to prioritise available funds. Several municipalities are considering cuts. Affording transportation is the primary challenge in terms of resources especially in those municipalities with no or few swimming facilities. Therefore, there seems to be a willingness among municipalities to try out alternative models. The attitude is that some swimming or aquatic readiness (Langendorfer & Bruya, 1995) is better than no swimming and a limited number of municipalities plan to close down school swimming. A few municipalities offer a swimming camp in the summer holiday but in general an arrangement like this is considered to be a temporary solution. 4. In 2012 six municipalities out of 72 did not provide school swimming in any form and five out of 66 considered to close down school swimming (Skovgaard et al., 2012) 5. Skovgaard et al. (2012). Swimming in Danish Primary Schools. Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, The University of Southern Denmark 6. Skovgaard T & Lüders K. (2013). Swimming in Schools: New Danish Directions. Idrottsforum.org

At the administrative/municipal level there is a lack of overview on expenditures to school swimming. One explanation could be that the budget is made up of various sources and it is therefore complicated to give a precise amount of the annual costs to school swimming. Legislation Respondents find it challenging to comply with current legislation and to live up to the executive order for pupils in 5th grade. Several school managers indicate that the recent primary school reform provides an option to offer pupils more swimming lessons: for example, by using some of the time for physical activity for swimming. Age In the vast majority of municipalities, swimming lessons are provided in the 4th and 5th grade (cf. figure 1), but some municipalities see potential in moving swimming lessons to earlier grade levels. Interest in getting better at swimming is greatest among the youngest pupils (YouGov, 2014). Lack of interest in the subject from students in the 4th to 6th grades is considered a challenge. Conversely, in the lower grades it can be difficult for pupils to keep their concentration for extended periods of time. When teaching takes place at the intermediate stage (4th-6th grade), teachers find that pupils have issues about dressing and undressing and they query swimming Vis Ă Vis pre-pubescent pupils. Girls in particular have issues when it comes to body and un-/dressing. As regards 5th-6th grade girls, the start of menstruation can present another issue. Swimming stroke Overall there is broad consensus among school teachers about starting swimming lessons with front crawl and backstroke, because these strokes come most naturally to children. Front crawl is considered an obvious first choice of stroke for beginners. However, a combination of front crawl and breaststroke is a popular approach for the teachers to use.

OVERVIEW - Opportunities and challenges in Danish School Swimming

Opportunities:

Municipal/Administrative School Management Level Level

Swimming Teacher Level

Collaborating with local swimming clubs for a more profitable model of school swimming lessons.

Planning the teaching.

Bridging the gap between pupils and associations using so-called partnership models.

Providing students with an active break from the classroom. Fitting more physical activity into the school day.

Moving the lessons to, for instance, first of second grade to prevent aqua phobia.

Teaching children about safety in and around water.

Make use of swimming as a type of exercise. Giving pupils a sense of security in and around water. Evaluating the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swimming proficiency using swimming tests and certificates.

Challenges:

Financing school swimming lessons, which are an expensive provision.

Providing school swimming lessons, if this is not a visible municipal priority.

Giving swimming priority over other areas.

Complying with the legislation which stipulates that children should be provided with school swimming lessons.

Poor provision of school swimming lessons is often regarded as a stopgap solution due to a lack of resources.

Logistical challenges such as booking pools, transport and illness of teachers.

Pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; complexes in terms of body and clothing. Lack of pedagogical responsibility in the likes of partnership models. Limited framework for teaching due to cutbacks: e.g. short time in the water.

The difference between the teaching skills of Limited opportunities for swimming teachers and upgrading skills of teachers. swimming coaches.

Figure 2: Opportunities and challenges for school swimming in Danish municipalities. Based on data from 69 interviews on three levels.

THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL SWIMMING IN DENMARK

It is very much advisable that all Danish children learn to swim. Not being able to swim can lead to fatal consequences such as drowning accidents and risk taking behaviour. There are many factors that affect the quality of swimming lessons and possibilities of children learning to swim. For instance: What teaching competencies are available to the school? Does the school have the financial resources to rent swimming facilities/transport? How long can the pool be used for? Which teaching methods are used? The list of questions is long. This presents a challenge in itself: also for research projects in this field. For many municipalities the traditional Danish school swimming model is no longer financially viable. Thus, there is a call for new high quality and cost-effective ways to deliver school swimming.

Learning To Swim focuses on exactly this overall challenge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; applying a wide variety of practical approaches and research methodologies.

Contact information Project Manager, Stephan Junggren Research & Innovation Centre for Human Movement & Learning sjunggren@health.sdu.dk / +45 9350 7200 Head of Centre, Thomas Skovgaard Research & Innovation Centre for Human Movement & Learning tskovgaard@health.sdu.dk / +45 2498 4064

REFERENCES

Langendorfer, S. J., & Bruya. L. D. (1995). Aquatic Readiness – Developing Water Competence in Young Children. Human Kinetics. Lüders, K, Dalsgaard, J, Knudsen, L. S., Holm, S. G., & Skovgaard, T. (2015). Del 1: Forbedring af børns svømmeduelighed: Et litteraturstudie af hvilken stilart der er mest optimal, når børn skal lære at svømme. Published by Research and Innovation Centre for Learning and Human Movement, University College Lillebælt and University of Southern Denmark Lüders, K, Dalsgaard, J, Knudsen, L. S., Holm, S. G., & Skovgaard, T. (2015). Del 2: Forbedring af børns svømmedueligheder: Kortlægning af muligheder og udfordringer i skolesvømning i 19 udvalgte kommuner. Published by Research and Innovation Centre for Learning and Human Movement, University College Lillebælt and University of Southern Denmark Madsen, Ø., & Faveri, T. D. (2013). Svømmetrening. Bodoni Forlag, The Norwegian Swimming Federation, 4th Edition. Madsen, Ø., & Irgens, P. (2008). Slik lærer du å svømme. Bodoni Forlag, The Norwegian Swimming Federation, 2nd Edition. Nielsen, A. (1982). Moderne svømning. Aalborg Svømmeklub, 2nd Impression 4th Edition Skovgaard, T., Lüders, K., Von Seelen, J., Jensen, M. M., Ibsen, B., Nielsen, C. D., & Marling, T. (2012). Svømning i den danske folkeskole. Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, The University of Southern Denmark Skovgaard, T., & Lüders, K. (2013). Swimming in Schools: New Danish Directions. Idrottsforum.org. Stallmann, R. K. (2011). No stroke first - All strokes first: Why the debate about which swimming stroke should be taught first is irrelevant. The Lifesaving Foundation, 2011, 38-39. Oslo: Livredderen. YouGov (2014). Danskernes svømmeduelighed, livredningsmæssige færdigheder og holdninger til svømning. September. YouGov & The Danish Swimming Federation. Wilke, K., & Daniel, K. (1996). Üben – Trainieren. Wiesbaden: Limpert Verlag GmbH