WSI - Water Safety Instructor Teaching Methods and Lesson Planning Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When developing a lesson plan, a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) should always plan more activities than they expect to need for the allotted time. What is the primary reason for this recommendation?
- To ensure the class finishes early, allowing for extra free time.
- To have backup activities in case some participants master skills faster than anticipated or an activity is not effective. (Correct answer)
- To impress the supervising lifeguard with a wide variety of drills and games.
- To fill the time in case the instructor forgets the main skill progression for the day.
Correct answer: To have backup activities in case some participants master skills faster than anticipated or an activity is not effective.
The American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor's Manual advises instructors to plan more activities than they think they will need. This ensures that the lesson remains engaging and productive, allowing the instructor to be flexible and adapt to the class's pace without having unplanned downtime.
Question 2: A WSI is planning a lesson for a Preschool Aquatics Level 2 class. A key objective is to have the children become comfortable with submerging their faces and blowing bubbles. Which teaching method would be most effective and appropriate for this age group?
- Using a command-style approach where the instructor directs all children to submerge their faces at the same time.
- Incorporating games and songs that involve putting their mouths in the water to make 'motorboat' sounds or retrieving colorful rings. (Correct answer)
- A lecture-based explanation of the physiological benefits of breath control.
- Having them repeatedly practice the skill with no variation until everyone can do it perfectly.
Correct answer: Incorporating games and songs that involve putting their mouths in the water to make 'motorboat' sounds or retrieving colorful rings.
For preschool-aged children, learning should be fun and engaging. Using games, songs, and playful activities makes learning new and sometimes scary skills like face submersion less intimidating and more enjoyable, which is a key principle in the Red Cross approach to teaching young children.
Question 3: Which of the following is an essential component of every lesson plan, regardless of the level being taught?
- A competitive game to determine the best swimmer.
- A review of previously learned skills and a water safety topic. (Correct answer)
- At least 20 minutes of independent free-play time.
- An introduction to a competitive swimming stroke like the butterfly.
Correct answer: A review of previously learned skills and a water safety topic.
The American Red Cross emphasizes that every lesson should include reviewing skills to reinforce learning and incorporating a water safety topic to build a foundation of safe practices in, on, and around water. This integrated approach ensures both skill development and safety awareness.
Question 4: During a Learn-to-Swim Level 4 class, a student is having significant difficulty with the timing of the breaststroke kick. The instructor has already provided verbal feedback. What is the BEST next step for the instructor to take?
- Tell the student to just keep practicing and it will eventually click.
- Move the student back to Level 3 until they improve.
- Use a hands-on approach to physically guide the student's legs through the correct motion, while providing support. (Correct answer)
- Have the student watch a video of an Olympic swimmer performing the breaststroke after class.
Correct answer: Use a hands-on approach to physically guide the student's legs through the correct motion, while providing support.
Effective teaching often requires multiple approaches. When verbal cues aren't enough, kinesthetic feedback, such as physically guiding the swimmer's movements (with permission and proper technique), can be very effective for motor skill development. This provides a direct feel for the correct motion which is a key part of the skill acquisition process.
Question 5: The acronym COLA is a tool used by WSIs during lesson planning and throughout a course. What does the 'A' in COLA stand for?
- Action
- Activity
- Assess (Correct answer)
- Adjust
Correct answer: Assess
COLA stands for Check, Organize, Lead, and Assess. The 'Assess' step involves evaluating participants' progress throughout the course to determine if they are meeting the learning objectives and to adjust lesson plans accordingly.
Question 6: An instructor is creating a block plan for an 8-session Learn-to-Swim Level 1 course. Which of the following represents the best approach to sequencing skills in the block plan?
- Introduce all skills in the first lesson and practice them equally in every subsequent lesson.
- Teach the most difficult skills, like rotary breathing, first to get them out of the way.
- Focus on one specific skill per lesson, for example, lesson one is only for blowing bubbles, lesson two is only for floating.
- Build a logical progression, starting with basic water comfort and breath control, then introducing floating, glides, and basic propulsion in subsequent lessons. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Build a logical progression, starting with basic water comfort and breath control, then introducing floating, glides, and basic propulsion in subsequent lessons.
Effective course planning involves a logical progression where foundational skills are taught first, and subsequent skills build upon what has already been learned. This approach, outlined in the Water Safety Instructor's Manual, ensures that participants have the necessary prerequisites to be successful as they learn more complex skills.
WSI - Water Safety Instructor Teaching Methods and Lesson Planning Questions and Answers
When developing a lesson plan, a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) should always plan more activities than they expect to need for the allotted time.
What is the primary reason for this recommendation?