Reviews and reports

Annals of Dyslexia -     

Book Review

Book reviewed in this article:
Bias Issues in Teacher Certification Testing R.G. Allan, Paula M. Nassif, and Scott M. Elliot (Eds.)     

An upper limb kinematic model for the examination of cricket bowling: a case study of Mutiah Muralitharan

We show how biomechanics can be used to accurately assess spin-bowling techniques (offspin, legspin and topspin) in cricket, under controlled conditions, when the player is suspected of throwing. A 50 Hz six-camera Vicon Motion Analysis system was used to record the movements of markers strategically placed on the upper limb during each of the above bowling actions. A kinematic model of the upper limb, created using Vicon BodyBuilder software, enabled the movements of the upper arm and forearm to be described during each delivery. Selected physical characteristics of the upper limb were also measured. The present 'no ball' law in cricket with reference to throwing states that 'the arm should not be straightened in the part of the delivery that immediately precedes ball release'. The bowler, Mutiah Muralitharan, was shown to maintain a relatively constant elbow angle in the 0.06 s before ball release. Furthermore, this angle changed little from the time that the upper arm was angled vertically downward until ball release during the three spin-bowling actions.     

Vocalization as an objective measure of shock-elicited social aggression in rats

Intense vocalizations emitted by pairs of shocked rats were compared when physically separated by a transparent partition and when free to engage in social aggression. Greater vocalization occurred in the free-access condition and was positively correlated with visually observed attack scores in pairs that had prior experience with shock. A second experiment determined the influence of repeated fighting exposures upon the correlation between observed attack and vocalization. High positive correlations were obtained after initial sessions within a broad range of intermediate fighting. At high and low extremes of fighting, correlations were nonsignificant. The results are discussed with reference to restriction imposed upon variation of attack scores based upon standard criteria of observation.     

‘I was dead restorative today’: from restorative justice to restorative approaches in school

This paper explores definitions and understandings of restorative practices in education. It offers a critique of current theoretical models of restorative justice originally derived from the criminal justice system and now becoming popular in educational settings. It questions the appropriateness of these concepts as they are being introduced to schools in parts of the UK and refers to a recent Scottish Executive funded pilot initiative to implement restorative practices in schools. The paper then reflects on some findings from the evaluation of this pilot project, outlines a new notion of restorative approaches and suggests that this broader conceptualisation may offer an important way in which to promote social justice in education and to reassess the importance and inevitability of conflicting social interaction and structures inherent in schools as complex social institutions.     

Relationships between functional movement screen scores,maturation and physical performance in young soccer players

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between functional movement screen scores, maturation and physical performance in young soccer players. Thirty males (11–16 years) were assessed for maturation, functional movement screen scores and a range of physical performance tests (squat jump, reactive strength index protocol and reactive agility cut). Older players significantly outperformed younger participants in all tests (P < 0.05; effect sizes = 1.25–3.40). Deep overhead squat, in-line lunge, active straight leg raise and rotary stability test were significantly correlated to all performance tests. In-line lunge performance explained the greatest variance in reactive strength index (adjusted R² = 47%) and reactive agility cut (adjusted R² = 38%) performance, whilst maturation was the strongest predictor of squat jump performance (adjusted R² = 46%). This study demonstrated that variation of physical performance in youth soccer players could be explained by a combination of both functional movement screen scores and maturation.