Essential swimming skills for English language students

Swimming lessons will continue for culturally and linguistically diverse residents this February, thanks to a partnership between South Regional TAFE (SRTAFE) and the Geographe Leisure Centre (GLC).

The one-of-a kind pilot program commenced in 2023 and enables participants to develop important water safety skills.

Funding is received through Adult Migrant English Program Innovative Projects and Royal Life Saving Australia.

In Term 4 last year, eleven South Regional TAFE students working towards a Certificate II and III in Spoken and Written English, participated in weekly ‘swim and survive’ lessons at the Geographe Leisure Centre in Busselton.

After each lesson in the pool, students would review their progress, share successes and discuss strategies to overcome fears in and around the water – information and skills they could then pass on to their families and their communities.

Participants hail from countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Sudan and South Korea. For many, lesson one was the first time they had ever submerged their faces in the water.

“Experiencing water together in a safe and supportive learning environment in a community setting was the key to the program’s success,” GLC Swimming Instructor, Jodi Kelso said.

“The first golden rule taught was, where your eyes go, your body will follow.”

Jodi said delivering the program had been “incredibly rewarding”.

“Developing skills of blowing bubbles, back and front floats, kicking, glides, diving and performing reach rescues saw participants successfully receive their Certificate in Royal Life Saving Swim and Survive,” she said.

“It was also a wonderful opportunity for participants to strengthen their English language skills.”

South Regional TAFE English Lecturer, Kathleen O’Shea said Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) residents were over-represented in Australian drowning statistics.

“South Regional TAFE is pleased to have offered CALD students with the opportunity to increase water safety skills through this exciting initiative with the GLC,” she said.

Class participant Judy Park said she was now no longer worried about swimming at the beach.

“It was fantastic because I improved my skills,” she said.

“Now I can swim in the sea. I’m really relaxed in the ocean.”

Mariza Rezae said she loved the experience.

“That was so fantastic and it was so cool of everyone else…they helped each other! The swimming was so good. When I get in the water, I get happier. The difference between the beginning and the end was we felt so shy and unconfident and at the end we were not shy,” she said.

“Now I can do like back float, front float and a little bit kick with the kickboard and a little bit of freestyle. That was fun!”

The students are excited to return to the water at the GLC this term to continue their swimming journey.

Classes commence this Friday, February 2.