Prominence of basic swimming skills in German children's books

Introduction
Previous research on British children’s books has shown that they may serve a transfer of knowledge to society but create a distorted representation of the importance of required water competencies (i.e., submerging, floating, gliding [1]). Con-sidering possible cultural differences in the learn-to-swim process, this study aims to investigate how essential water competencies are addressed in German children’s books.
Methods
The selection of children’s books is based on the principle of the most up-to-date and well-known works, with no further restrictions on the selection. Thus, 9 books were identified eligible for the analysis of this study. The analysis is limited to the macroanalysis of the content and representation of the text and pictures as well as their interdependence [2].
lead to a shift in the importance of basic swimming skills. Future studies may consider the choice of the first swimming technique in children’s books.
References
1. Vogel, M., I. Staub, and T. Vogt, An analysis of the representation of a learn-to-swim process in children’s books: A transfer of knowledge to society?, in Book of Abstracts of the 27th Congress of the European College of Sport Science - 30 August . 2 September 2022, F. Dela, et al., Editors. 2022, European College of Sport Science: Cologne. p. 189.
2. Kurwinkel, T., Bilderbuch [Picture Book], in Handbuch Kinder- und Jugendliteratur, T. Kurwinkel and P. Schmerheim, Editors. 2020, J. B. Metzler Verlag: Berlin. p. 201-219.
Results
The basic skill submerging, initially and not as part of a swimming technique, is described in detail in 56% of the books, of which submerging is illustrated in 44% by retrieving an object, however, with varying degrees of detail (e.g., eyes are always shown open except once when goggles are used). Floating is addressed in 67% of the books, described as both, floating on front and back; gliding is depicted in 22% of the books. Often, it’s either gliding or floating, but mostly the pro-tagonists learn propulsion. A distinction must also be made whether buoyancy aids are used or not. In addition, the books vary in representing the head’s posture.
Discussion
Submerging is portrayed in the children’s books congruent with scientific literature. One reason for such prominent con-sideration is certainly the importance of submerging, since this is not only a prerequisite for learning to swim, but in Ger-many also one task of the first swimming badge. Floating and gliding, on the other hand, is scattered depicted in the German children’s books. A scientific discussion of the methodological steps necessary to learn the two basic skills of floating and gliding does not take place in any of the books. It can be assumed that the German swimming badges may