PE_Guidelines_english0

Approaches to aquatics
Section 5 Approaches and methodologies
Planning an aquatics programme for
most teachers will differ from planning
for other strands of the curriculum, as
it involves liaison with other personnel
who may deliver the programme.
However, this does not diminish the
role of the class teacher, who should
ensure that the programme caters for
the needs of the class and forms part of
the school plan for aquatics.
In addition to the considerations for
planning the class programme outlined
on pp. 34–9, the following guide will
aid the planning process for aquatics.
The teacher should consider
• the number of qualified swimming
teachers required to meet the needs
of the class. Where a class teacher is
a qualified swimming teacher, he/she
can teach any of the strand units of
the programme. The class teacher
who is not a qualified swimming
teacher may work alongside the
qualified swimming teacher.
• how the class can be organised to
cater for a wide range of abilities if
necessary
– where the practical difficulties
related to the changing of clothes
can be overcome, an infant
programme for aquatics may be
considered. It could focus on the
strand units ‘Hygiene’, ‘Water
safety’, ‘Entry to and exit from the
water’ and ‘Understanding and
appreciation of aquatics’. Simple
elements of the ‘Buoyancy and
propulsion’ strand unit could also
be included. It is essential that the
children experience many
structured play activities in water
Groups of children enjoy the aquatics lesson.
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