Teaching Autistic Children to Swim

By Therese Weber

The integration of children with Autism spectrum disorders into “learn to swim” classes can be both rewarding and demanding. Teachers must become familiar with learning difficulties associated with Autism and develop teaching methods to help swimmers succeed. Remember, the teacher’s role is not to diagnose autism, but to implement different teaching strategies for Autistic swimmers to accomplish their goals.

Behaviours associated with Autism
Autism is a lifelong disability that can limit a person’s motor control development and skill acquisition. People with Autism spectrum disorders generally have trouble interacting socially, communicating and display behavioural problems. Sensory sensitivities to touch, pain, temperature and sounds are common for people with Autism. These impairments may result in problems associated with neurological (brain) functions. Examples of some problems may include within the planning, attention, motivation and/or emotional aspects of completing a task or performing a movement. Statistically, Autism is more common in males than females.

Autism and the Brain
The human brain is comprised of left and right hemispheres and four lobes. The lobes and hemispheres are responsible for different tasks involved with the voluntary and involuntary function and movements of the body. For example the frontal lobe is responsible for the programming and planning of voluntary movements. Other tasks of the frontal lobe include decision making and personality.

The normal function of the brain is to coordinate and transfer information between lobes for nervous activity, sensation and intellectual activity. There is a link between Autism and attention, anxiety and sensory overload. An Autistic brain is unable to coordinate normal brain functions effectively and therefore the transfer of vital information may be reduced or removed. Some research has concluded that there are deficits in decision-making function among people with Autism. The decision making process takes place in the frontal lobe of the brain. Sensitivities to sensory stimuli would be noted in the parietal lobe of the brain. The physical contact required in assisting children to swim is a sensory stimulus. For the autistic child, physical contact may disadvantage the learning progress. The use of floatation aids such as kickboards and ‘noodles’ may overcome the problem of not being able to have skin to skin contact with the autistic child.

The brain has the capacity to be modified. It can be modified by the way we organise our nervous and muscular systems to perform a skill. Increasing the efficiency and strength of sensory input will help facilitate a movement. Knowing this, the brain of an Autistic person can be modified to enable them to learn and develop new skills. We learn new skills by the way we move body segments and the patterning of movement that determines speed and coordination. Repeated practise of a movement allows the learner to progress from a cognitive stage to an autonomous stage (i.e. smooth, sequential limb pattern). For an autistic child the progression to an autonomous stage of learning may take longer due to deficits in planning and decision making capacity. Research has indicated that autistic children participating in swimming and other motor activities that require routine yet small challenges will progress in their development of physical, social, and mental wellbeing.

One important factor to note is that due to learning deficits the Autistic swimmer has to learn to understand both the skills involved and to read the cues of the teacher. People with Autism have a better memory recollection of things they have seen rather than heard. The use of visual cue cards is a good teaching strategy that takes advantage of this visual learning preference. Correct demonstration of skills rather than describing the skill is another useful tool.

Benefits of swimming for Autistic children
Swimming, like any physical activity, has obvious physical, mental and social benefits for all participants. For the Autistic swimmer the water environment provides an opportunity to achieve physical and psychological mastery of a skill without unnecessary stress on the body. An additional benefit of warm water (32-33 degrees Celsius) allows more efficient movement by decreasing muscle tone. These factors assist in improving both body function and activity levels.

The teacher must be well prepared for each lesson with a structured plan. Broad short-term goals for each lesson, when implemented, help to achieve the swimmer’s long term goal. Involving parents in the goal setting process will also help. Goals may be structured using an ‘ABC method’ – ‘A’ is the audience (the swimmer), ‘B’ is the desired behaviour, and ‘C’ is the criteria (i.e. how far, how long, how many successful applications of the behaviour). For example;

A- Whilst the instructor supports the child (the audience) with the kickboard in the pool.
B- The child will demonstrate correct kicking technique (behaviour required).
C- For a distance of 5 meters by the end of the lesson (criteria).

Teaching swimming usually begins with practise of individual skills that will ultimately link together to contribute to a recognised swimming stroke. For example we teach a swimmer how to blow bubbles before we ask them to submerge their face, or in the long-term to acquire a collection of individual skills that will allow smooth and efficient breathing technique during freestyle swimming. The table below is a sample lesson plan for an Autistic swimmer. It’s based on the swimmer being water confident and at the learning stage of introducing a recognised swimming stroke.

Long Term Goal
Without assistance, the swimmer will competently swim 5 metres of freestyle. The swimmer will demonstrate correct technique in relation to limb movements and head position whilst breathing and bubbling (breathing every second arm stroke).
Today’s Goal – Lesson number 4 of 10
With assistance, the swimmer will maintain correct head position during the breathing arm phase of bubble arm breathing for 2 metres by the end of the lesson. Have fun!
Lesson plan – (refer to quick reference for extra information)

1. Introduction – welcome and review of rules.
2. Slide entry via mat into pool.
3. Skill 1 - assisted by kickboard, kicking legs with head submerged, and bubble hand on board, breathing arm by side.
4. Skill 2 - assisted by instructor’s hands, kicking legs with head submerged, perform 2 repetitions of bubble arm breathing arm. Add distance as performance increases.
5. Skill 4 - End the class with familiar game for example retrieve goggles.

Because Autism covers a wide spectrum of behaviours, not all teaching methods may apply. Integration into a class with other children might not be an option in some cases. The ‘success’ of an autistic swimmer should not be measured in skill acquisition only. Success is achieved when the swimmer requires less prompting to perform a task and when their self-esteem and social skills show improvement. It’s also important for the student to have fun within a structured learning environment provided by the teacher.

Quick reference for teachers
To get the most out of an Autistic swimmer some simple teaching strategies should be set in place at the beginning of the program. The following points may be helpful for lesson planning for both the Autistic and non Autistic swimmer.

1. Establish rules – your set of simple rules should be reinforced throughout the lesson. An example, “I will sit on the edge of the pool when it is not my turn”.
2. Be aware of sensory issues – studies have shown that persons with Autism respond better to a firm hold rather than a light touch. This is due to functional impairments of the somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobe of the brain. Some students may ‘recoil’ and avoid a situation if you provide a light touch rather than a firm hold. Another example of this is to encourage full immersion into the water (firm hold), rather than walking down stairs to enter the pool (light touch). Many programs use a mat for their swimmers to slide into the pool.
3. Provide visual support – cards may be used to illustrate a skill. Visual cues are also used to support your lesson plan; this should save constant verbal repetition from the instructor. Correct demonstration of the skill by you is another extremely useful form of visual support.
4. The lesson plan should be simple to follow.
5. Follow a routine – keep your lesson structured, simple and predictable. Change for the Autistic swimmer can increase their anxiety levels.
6. Communicate effectively – like your lesson plan, keep your language simple and literal. Be patient and allow your swimmer a lot of time to respond to your instructions.
7. Avoid anxiety – some swimmers may need to have their lesson at a quieter time to avoid noise levels and increased anxiety. This will depend on how familiar the swimmer is with the pool environment at specified times.
8. Ensure acceptance - working on the attitudes of the non Autistic swimmers in the class is crucial to ensure acceptance. The environment needs to flexible and empathetic.

References
Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2007). Dr Tony Attwood in Conversation with Richard Fidler. (Podcast). Brisbane: ABC. http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/stories/s1904502.htm?sydney

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). (2002). What is Autism. Information Sheet. Retrieved from Aspect web site: http://www.aspect.org.au/publications

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). (2002). Thinking and Learning In Autism. Information Sheet. Retrieved from Aspect web site: http://www.aspect.org.au/publications

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). (2003). Classroom Ideas for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome. Retrieved from Aspect web site: http://www.aspect.org.au/publications

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). (2006). What is Autism. Information on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Retrieved from Aspect web site: http://www.aspect.org.au/publications

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). (n.d.). Building Blocks: Early Intervention Service. Parent Information Sheet. Understanding Sensory Issues. Retrieved from Aspect web site: http://www.aspect.org.au/publications

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). (n.d.). Building Blocks: Early Intervention Service. Parent Information Sheet. Establishing Routines. Retrieved from Aspect web site: http://www.aspect.org.au/publications

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Ozonoff, S., Cook, I., Coon, H., Dawson, G., Joseph, R. M., Klin, A. et al. (2004). Performance on Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Subtests Sensitive to Frontal Lobe Function in people with Autistic Disorders: Evidence from the Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism Network. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 34(2):139-150. Retrieved electronically from EBSCO database 19.3.07.