Updated Swimming and
Water Safety Program Coming Spring 2009
April 30, 2008
In order to remain the leader in aquatics programs and
training, the following American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety courses
are currently being updated and are scheduled to release in spring 2009:
§Parent and Child Aquatics
§Learn-to-Swim
§Longfellow’s WHALE Tales
§Water Safety Presentations
§Water Safety Instructor Course
Expected Revisions
A team of editorial and industry experts have be=
en
meeting for several months to consider what changes should be made to the
Swimming and Water Safety program to make it more effective and easier to
teach. Expected changes include the following:
§Skill Placeme=
nt
in Learn-to-Swim
Since instructors see first-hand how and when sw=
immers
are mastering skills, national headquarters recently polled aquatic instruc=
tors
in an effort to help refine which swim skills should be in which levels of
Learn-to-Swim. Based on these findings and other research, skills may be mo=
ved
to different levels or changed in the teaching sequence to minimize bottlen=
ecks
and help people achieve success at every level.
§Re-emphasis on
Drowning Prevention and Water Safety
Drowning prevention and water safety will be re-emphasized as critical comp=
onents
of all levels of Learn-to-Swim . . . both for swimmers and their parents. T=
he
goal will be to teach people how to stay safe in, on and around every type =
of
water environment.
§More Support =
for
Water Safety Instructors More information will be posted as it becomes available=
.
To help Water Safety Instructors be better teach=
ers
straight out of training, the Water Safety Instructor course will be review=
ed.
New tools will be added to the Water Safety Instructor materials to help ma=
ke
their jobs easier and to improve their teaching skills.