Teaching Swimming

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Children with Hyperlexia

 Written by: Nancy Pleiter-Sadowy, M.Ed., CTRS

Published in the American Hyperlexia Association newsletter

 Hyperlexia is a syndrome observed in children who have the following characteristics:

·          Precocious ability to read words far above what would be expected at their chronological age – or an intense fascination with numbers or letters

·         Significant difficulty understanding verbal language

·          Abnormal social skills; difficulty socializing and interacting appropriately with people  

 This is an excerpt from Sean's entry into the First Grade Literacy Achievement Contest. Sean won second prize in the countywide contest.   Sean is one of three students with hyperlexia enrolled in my aquatic program, Choose To Swim.

My name is Nancy Pleiter-Sadowy.  I am a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and a Certified Adapted Aquatics Instructor.   I am co-founder of One Step Further and designed Choose To Swim.

I offer instruction in which children of all ability, in group sessions and through private instruction, become strong, healthy and confident while learning a lifelong leisure skill.   I work with each student by:

 1)     identifying his current comfort level,

2)     designing games which develop and reinforce aquatic and educational skills,

3)     challenging him to use his strengths,

4)     stretching his comfort level and

5)     developing the skills that help him meet his educational and recreational goals.  

Sean and I met in 1994, and our first five sessions were unproductive.   I was unaware of how to change my techniques to match Sean's needs.   When our paths crossed again, I choose to facilitate (guide Sean as he decided what to learn) rather than instruct each session.  Both Sean and I were successful.  I developed a rapport with Sean and he learned a number of aquatic skills.  In the process, we both became stronger, more confident and flexible. Sean taught me how to adjust my teaching style to match his learning style while I taught him how to be safe in water.

The following is a list of strategies I have developed by working, first with Scan and then with other students with hyperlexia.  

You do not need to know all the answers.   Provide a safe and supportive environment and recognize that several different paths lead to the same destination.  

Structure each session with a clearly defined opening, middle and closing.   Structure provides every student with a consistent format into which you and he can insert numerous activities.  It allows him to anticipate what is coming and to organize his nervous system to accept and make the necessary transitions.  

 Create an environment where the student is responsible for his or her own actions.  Give the student a choice between two activities. When he chooses one, we do it together.  

Share ownership of the activity with your students.  Each student takes responsibility for leading the class activities.  This creates a cooperative climate and engages him in the task so that he work diligently while absorbing information efficiently.  

Present concrete examples throughout the session.

·         Demonstrate the skill and have the student watch from the deck

·         Verbalize what you are doing and repeat the sequence of steps

·         Have the student talk you through each step of your demonstration

·         Have the student illustrate what he saw you demonstrate

 Allow the student time to repeat the same skill over and over again. Sean taught me how important this strategy was for internalizing a new skill. When given the opportunity to lead, he repeated the same series of actions over and over until it was ingrained into his motor memory.  Encourage parents to take their children swimming during the week to reinforce the skills learned during the instructional session.  

Maintain eye contact with the child.   To insure that the student remains engaged and focused, create activities that involve eye contact.  

 Be spontaneous and playful.  This has been a difficult skill to learn because I, as an instructor, was focused on my goals and what I perceived the parents wanted their child to learn.  I now recognize that the child may have other goals and that I may need to take an alternative path to reach our destination.

As an aquatic instructor, my goals of water safety and swim instruction remain constant but my techniques, rate of instruction, methods and tone fluctuate according to the needs of each student with hyperlexia.  Some students need stringent guidelines with no room for error and multiple challenges while others need to be in charge deciding what skill they will accomplish.  Some students need consistent positive reinforcement while others need to explore their environment first before they are ready to develop swimming skills.

 In summary, it is important to identify each student’s strengths and act upon them, allowing his skills to emerge while you support him to reach his goals. I recommend you step back and observe your student.  Examine your own techniques and methods.  Are they compatible with your students' needs and goals?  Are you working together or against each other?  By accepting his cues, you will proceed down a path where both you and your student work together to reach your mutual goals.  

For more information about hyperlexia contact:

 American Hyperlexia Association - 195 W. Spangler Suite B - Elmhurst, IL 60216