Project description

The Kasseler Welle is a lighthouse project of the city of Kassel and the University of Kassel in close cooperation with all elementary school in Kassel. At the heart of the project is a one-week intensive swimming phase in which every child in second grade will take part between 2026 and 2029. The project week takes place at the Auebad and combines 90 minutes of guided swimming lessons every day with structured theory units in class. Up to 2,000 girls and boys benefit each school year; more than 8,000 children are reached in four sessions.

The technical and organizational implementation rests on two pillars. Firstly, primary school teachers contribute their experience in classroom management and child-oriented didactics. Secondly, the Institute of Sport and Sports Science at the University of Kassel contributes the latest findings from the European research network ALFAC (Aquatic Literacy for All Children). Students accompany the classes as trainers, assess learning levels using standardized tests and develop tailored support sequences. This creates a theory-practice cycle that benefits both the school and the university: The children receive qualified instruction, while the students acquire professional skills in a practical manner.

The swimming units are based on a multi-stage learning model from water familiarization to water safety(The Owl and Swimming). In addition, the theory modules impart basic knowledge about swimming rules, current hazards and self-rescue/self-rescue. In this way, the children not only develop motor skills, but also comprehensive aquatic literacy, which includes cognitive, psychological and social aspects of safe behavior in and around water. Particular attention is paid to risk factors such as overconfidence, peer pressure or underestimating water depths. Through role-playing games, experimental stations and short film scenes, pupils learn to recognize dangerous situations and act appropriately.

To ensure that even water-shy children and participants with disabilities can learn without fear, we rely on differentiated learning paths, individually adapted buoyancy aids and support from specialists with special educational needs. This inclusive concept ensures that all children are supported according to their abilities. We provide all teaching materials, from diagnostic sheets to instructional videos, as open educational resources so that schools can seamlessly continue regular swimming lessons on this basis.

The Kassel Wave provides an excellent starting point for swimming lessons in grades 2 to 4, strengthens children's health and safety skills and at the same time sets a model for successful cooperation between universities and schools that can be transferred nationwide.