Acuasomatic education: Benefits of phylogenetic competences in swimming for babies

Abstract

Introduction: The Acuarela Swim School (Oaxaca-Mexico) has adopted the theory of the tritemporality of Human Motricity (phylogenesis, ontogenesis and sociogenesis) to develop its teaching method in Aquasomatic Education for babies, in which, in order to facilitate the learning process, turns to the phylogenetic competences.

Objetives: To explore whether the method of Aquasomatic Education of the Acuarela School propitiates a context in which the mother experiments and becomes conscious of her competences in the water and if this facilitates the baby’s acquisition of fundamental abilities to interrelate with the water.

Method: Mixed methodology to evaluate the development of five phylogenetic competences: sustained attention, gestualization, interaction, affiliation and imitation during the teaching-learning process. Three-month course with 14 dyads (mothers-babies) less than one year old. Uses: interview, survey (pretest/posttest), video-recordings and self-observation of the mothers.

Results: Initially, 20% of the mothers reported not knowing how to swim, 58% had little contact with water during their childhood and 30% have some fear. Throughout the sessions, they explore, in theoretical-experiential and progressive ways; all showed progressive increments. Their self-observations reflect a rise in positive emotions in terms of their experience in the water. They show great satisfaction with the school and the methodology that has been implemented.

Conclusions: Aquasomatic Education prepares the mother to approach consciously the phylogenetic competences that guarantee the baby’s acquisition of basic abilities for its natural adaptation to the water and facilitate learning to swim.

Keywords: Somatic Education, Maternal, Skills, Aquatic Adaptation, Baby, Mexico.