After successfully running the English for Swimming program at the Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre in Auburn for the past two years, Navitas Skilled Futures has produced the interactive book to be distributed free in time for summer to other adult education providers in the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community.
Navitas hopes the English for Swimming comprehensive resource will empower more adults from CALD backgrounds with new skills and water confidence, and ultimately help reduce the number of drowning deaths among this statistically over-represented group.
The English for Swimming program was born from the need to provide migrants and refugees the opportunity to learn important swimming and water survival skills, and improve their English skills all in a safe, welcoming and inclusive space.
Students were offered the opportunity to take part in the program, which provided them with a two-hour weekly lesson in the classroom, followed by a one-hour swimming lesson in the pool.
Common program outcomes include feeling confident in the water, knowing how to save someone who is in trouble, being comfortable in the deep end, being able to tread water and, of course, improving English.
As a Surf Life Saver, Austswim qualified instructor, ESL teacher and Navitas learning designer, Michelle Cowans, said putting her knowledge into a book, with suggested lessons, links to instructional and virtual reality videos and flash cards, meant the program could now be easily adopted by others.
“All you really need is a pool and instructors, and the program could be run anywhere,” she said.
For more, visit navitas-english.com.au
