Dr. Biliyana Rangelova, Assoc. Prof.
Sofia University
Department of Sport
Krasimira Desheva, Assoc. Prof.
Dr. Petar Todorov, Senior lecturer
Sofia University
Department for Information and In-Service Training of Teachers
https://doi.org/10.53656/for2024-04-04
Absract. The article presents the process of communication between the coach and the trainees during swimming lessons. The focus falls on verbal communication through the use of terminology specific to the sport and non-verbal communication through the implementation of particular signs. Swimming is a sport that is a combination of specific physical movements of the body and a specific technique for breathing and exhaling in a non-human environment – water. Furthermore, swimming is suitable for practising by children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), due to the fact that it allows the achievement of social
integration, on the one hand, and the development of the physical condition of the
body, on the other. Practicing the sport of swimming poses various challenges, as
the person with SEND may have one or more disabilities that require an individual
approach. Practicing the sport in an aquatic environment further complicates the communication between a coach and a trainee. In this respect, both verbal and non-
verbal communication can be used. For instance, with visually impaired children,
communication involves verbal commands and instructions that must be clear and
understandable. For children with impaired hearing and/or speech, communication
is carried out through gestures and facial expressions similar to sign language.
The article will review the literature on the problem and will provide practical examples
of the application of different types of communication during swimming lessons.
The article has been written as part of the activities of the project “Innovative
system of verbal and non-verbal means of communication within physical education
and sports activities for children with SEND”, financed by the SUMMIT Sofia University Marking Momentum for Innovation and Technological Transfer Project.
Keywords: swimming; children with special educational needs; verbal communication; non-verbal communication