By Foss Swim School
It’s one of the most common questions we hear from parents of prospective swim students: Does FOSS offer swim lessons for kids with special abilities? We know that this is a question we need to answer carefully. After all, part of our philosophy is that anyone can learn to be safer and more confident around water.
At the same time, to overstate the scope of our program would not be fair to students, families, or our teachers. So, we’d like to take this opportunity to talk more about how FOSS works with kids of all abilities and what parents should do and expect as they consider enrollment for their special ability kids.
An adaptive approach that works for many abilities
The short answer is that while FOSS does not have classes specifically FOR kids with special abilities, we have found that in many cases we can offer an excellent swim school experience TO these kids.
Special abilities come in many types – limb differences, neurodivergence, sensory limitations, learning challenges and more. Just like all kids, the kids with these needs are unique, so an approach that works for one student might not work for another. With more than thirty years of experience teaching swimming to kids, we have developed some teaching techniques and tools that we find can help many of these special ability students find their place on the FOSS Swim Path, even without a specialized curriculum.
Adaptations may include using floats or other equipment we already have on hand to offer support for a child with certain physical limitations, using a picture board to communicate with a child with hearing limitations or who is nonverbal, or a series of waterproof cards and tiles we developed internally that we find help some neurodivergent children understand and anticipate the goals and activities of a session. These are just examples; when adaptations are considered, we will work with parents to identify what approaches are needed or are likely to help.
Our goal: To make the Swim Path accessible to more students
At Foss Swim School, we have a proven curriculum that helps swimmers learn safety, skills and confidence around water. That is our goal regardless of the child and any adaptations; we are trying to make it possible for special ability kids to join our regular group classes, not to give them a different track.
We recognize that group classes may not be the best fit in some cases, and in these situations private, one-on-one classes may allow students to learn at their own pace and use accommodations that would be disruptive to a group class. While private classes offer the maximum opportunity to tailor the program to a swimmer, it’s important to recognize what FOSS can deliver – and what we cannot.
We are a swim school with passionate instructors who love teaching kids, and will do all we can to work with special ability kids. Many of our instructors have a teaching background, and some may even have experience in special education. Where possible, we assign special ability students to work with teachers familiar with adaptive instruction.
It’s important to remember, however, that we are not physical or occupational therapists, and we would never claim to offer any kind of treatment or higher-order special ed programming. We would love to teach every child, but we recognize there may be limits to what we can offer. Only by working with parents can we determine the best way forward.
A special role for parents of special ability kids
For parents of special ability kids, it is imperative that we have a conversation before enrolling. In many, many cases, we can find a great fit, but it will be a partnership – parents will help us understand goals and limitations and can share what resources and techniques are successful at school and home. We will share what resources we have and the expectations we have of students and parents to keep our classes running smoothly.
We like all parents to watch classes and be engaged with teachers; for kids with special abilities, this is often an absolute necessity. We are not equipped and can’t promise to be able to manage any situation that may arise, so having a parent nearby who can offer guidance and engage with the student if asked is essential.
The benefit for students and families when adaptive instruction works, however, is incalculable. Special ability students often have higher risks around water, so building confidence and water safety skills is important. For many of these students, swim class also is a fun, engaging experience – and sometimes the highlight of their week!
If you are looking for a swim lesson for your special ability student, please call your local Foss Swim School. We look forward to meeting your child and hopefully helping them develop a lifelong love of water!
