Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication between Coach and Trainees during Swimming Lessons

Abstract

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 465 Биляна Рангелова, Красимира Дешева, Петър Тодоров 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 practicing 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.