How to Teach Someone to Swim ~ Wiki

Teaching another person to swim is a rewarding task. However, it's not an easy one, as there is a lot to cover and you need to be absolutely aware of what the person is doing at all times, to ensure that the person is both safe and is swimming correctly. If you're keen to teach someone to swim, you're now the "teacher" and your pupil is the "learner", and it's time to get into the water.

Steps

Overcoming any water fears

Get rid of any fear of water. This step is only needed if the learner is scared of water in the first place. Gently introduce the learner to being in the water, starting in the shallow end of the pool. Let him/her paddle around in the water, until he/she feels safe being there.
- You may want to hold his/her hand to make them feel less anxious, or give him/her some kind of buoyancy aid.
Note that it is often very beneficial to teach the "learner" not to drown first. Make sure that the learner understands why panicking will get him/her into trouble, and why there is absolutely no reason to panic when he/she can always revert to treading water. That means being able to tread water in a stable, safe, calm manner.
- Have the learner wade out until he/she is having to stand on tiptoes to keep his/her head above water. Proceed with teaching the learner to kick and move arms / hands back and forth properly while upright. This will come naturally to many people, but if it doesn't, have the learner put on some goggles to watch you underwater from the shallow end while you demonstrate. Once the learner knows he/she can successfully not drown by treading water in one spot, teaching the learner to swim becomes much easier.

Teaching starter moves

Practice the arm movements. Sit on the side of the pool, next to the learner. Demonstrate how to do the arm movements of a very simple stroke which you will be doing properly later. He/she should copy you, and you should correct any mistakes he/she makes.
Use the side of the pool to practice kicking. Get the learner to hold onto the side with his/her arms, and kick with his/her legs. Give him/her guidance as to how to kick correctly, so that he/she can feel confident when he/she finally starts to swim. It may be easier for the learner to do this on his/her back so that he/she can see his/her legs as he/she is doing it.
Get the learner to lift their feet off the ground in the middle of the shallow end. This is a big step for some people, without a side to hold on to, and so it may take a bit of time. Again, the general advice is to hold the learner's hand, and give him/her a buoyancy aid. He/she should try treading water - you should demonstrate this again if he/she doesn't know how it works.

Beginning swimming

Take the first steps to swimming. Get him/her to swim short distances in the shallow end of the pool, in a simple stroke which he/she feels comfortable with. Don't push the learner to do too much at the moment - this will probably be the first few strokes of his/her life.
Swim widths of the pool with the learner. This may not happen immediately. In fact, it will probably take many learning sessions to get to this stage. Make sure to support him/her both physically and mentally - this will be hard for him/her.
Get the learner to try out different strokes. This will help him/her decide which one he/she likes best. Get him/her to swim a width of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and any other easy-to-hard stroke you can think of. Don't put too much pressure on the learner. Make it fun for the student so that they will want to learn more.

Going to the deep end

Take the first journey into the deep end. The learner is probably not ready to swim there yet, so he/she should simply hold on to the side of the pool and pull themselves along. It may take a few goes to get to the other end of the pool. In this case, you should lead the way, showing that it is safe, and go a little bit further each time. It is essential to stop the learner fearing deep water.
Swim into the deep end. When the learner is prepared to do this, which may not be for quite a long time, you should carefully ease him/her into the deep end. To start with, you should stay close to the side and make sure that the learner feels secure. Eventually, he/she will be able to swim on his/her own, and that is a job well done.

Tips

Only teach them a few new skills at a time so that they don't get confused.
This will take a long time - go at the learner's pace, and be patient.
You should be safe, calm and give praise enthusiastically and encouragement often.
Don't be afraid to vary on these instructions, if it helps the learner.
An alternative approach is to forget starting with arms. Kick all the way! A good leg kick encourages good body position. Use wiggles/noodles. When the kick is good, get that face in the water blowing bubbles. Move onto kick boards and then start arm movements.
Never force a student to do something he/she isn't comfortable with. Beginning to swim (not yet swimming itself) is definitely something where the student has to find their "rhythm".
Start with a kick-board or another flotation/helpful device that doesn't do all the work for them.
Always go to a pool with a lifeguard - otherwise the learner may be in danger.
Avoid using water wings or a life jacket; they teach the learner bad body position.
It may be easier and better for the learner to go to proper swimming lessons.

Warnings

NEVER mentally or physically force a learner to do something they are not ready for. This will only increase fear and send progress backwards, wasting your time and their progress.
Go at the learner's pace but try to encourage progress by being generous with praise and encouragement.
Make sure there is a lifeguard at the pool where you practice. Avoid crowded pools.
Be careful, and don't make the learner do anything which makes him/her feel uncomfortable.
A certified instructor is always recommended.

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How to Teach Someone to Swim