DEVELOPMENT OF AQUATIC SKILLS IN CHILDREN - IMPLICATIONS OF DEEP WATER

Abstract

The effectiveness of different methods of teaching swimming has not been studied. The effects in aquatic competency in learning contexts are totally unknown.  The study has two objectives: (i) describing differences in teaching methodology in shallow and deep water in swimming lessons for children from pre-school  (ii) identifying changes in aquatic acquisition of motor skills (basic) acquired after 6, 12 and 18 months of practice.  The study consists of 32 swimming technicians and 98 children, divided into two distinct groups with different depths. The sample was also studied accordance to previous experience of swimming practice: 6, 12 e 18 months practice.  To assess the organization and the methodology of teaching a questionnaire was administered to technicians.  Later the children were assessed at the level of readiness in water using an original form of observation.

Comparisons developed between chi-square and Fishers exact test when appropriate groups of statistical significant were set at p < 0.05.  The results show some methodological differences between the two contexts in the pre-school children, although not significant.  The importance given to the propulsive autonomy and frequent use of swimming armbands by technicians in deep water is quite distinct.  The results also indicate that children with more practice (12 and 18 months) in both contexts showed a greater number of aquatic skills acquired.  However, the competency appears to be greater in students of shallow waters namely the slide back (6 months) in rotation about the longitudinal axis (12 months) and vertical fluctuations in deep waters (18 months).  These results suggest that the variations are not significant in teaching, it is conjectured that the depth of water affects the aquatic skill acquisition in children of pre-school.