‘They call me wonder woman’: the job jurisdictions and work‐related learning of higher level teaching assistants

This paper reports on an in‐depth interview study of the roles, job jurisdictions and associated learning of higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs). This role has the core purpose of covering classes to enable teacher release for planning, preparation and assessment. HLTAs’ individual job jurisdictions are described and discussed as are implications for their knowledge and practice. The HLTAs are found to have wide‐ranging job domains and, sometimes, unexpected involvements which mean they have to improvise practice. The study acknowledges that these HLTAs are being creatively managed and deployed by head teachers for the sake of teachers and schools. However, they are, at times, required to take on planning and cover duties which are beyond their knowledge and training with a likely impact on children’s learning. Given their training and experience it is asked if covering classes to release teachers is the most effective use of their abilities and time.     

Book reviews

Myocybernetic control models of skeletal muscle: characteristics and applications, H. Hatze, University of South Africa Press, Pretoria, 1981. xi+221 pp, ISBN 0 86981 216 5

Psychology of motor learning, (2nd edition) J.B. Oxendine, Prentice‐Hall, Inc., New Jersey, 1984. 403 pp, £26.75 (hb), ISBN 0 13 736603 5

Exercise, health and medicine, Symposium Procedings, Sports Council, London, 1984. 66 pp, £4.00 (pb), ISBN 0 906577 42 X

Human motor actions: Bernstein reassessed, H.T.A. Whiting (ed.), North Holland, Amsterdam, 1984. xxxv+559 pp, £40.00 (hb), ISBN 0 4444 868135

Sporting body sporting mind, John Syer and Christopher Connolly, Cambridge University Press, 1984. 160 pp, £3.95 (pb), ISBN 0 521 26935 0

Exercise physiology: human bioenergetics and its applications, George A. Brooks and Thomas D. Fahey, John Wiley & Sons, UK, 1984. xxiv + 810 pp, £30 (hb) ISBN 0 471 88827 3     

Book reviews

Clinical sports medicine, Robert C. Cantu, (ed.), The Collamore Press, Lexington, Massachusetts, Toronto, 1984. 219 pp, £19.95 (hb), ISBN 0 669 06842 X

Sports injuries, a self‐help guide, Vivian Grisogono, John Murray Ltd, London, 1984. 293 pp, £7.95 (hb), ISBN 0 7195 4111 5

Athletes’ guide to mental training, Robert N. Nideffer, Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois (distributed in the UK by Eddington Hook & Co.) 1985. vii +156 pp, $9.95 (pb), ISBN 0 931250 96 X

Scientific foundations of coaching, R.R. Pate, B. McClenaghan and R. Rotella, Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, 1984. xii + 344 pp, £21.95(hb), ISBN 0 03 057961 9

Mathematics in sport, M. Stewart Townend, Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1984. 202 pp (hb), ISBN 0 85312 717 4

Frontiers of exercise biology, ’Big Ten Body of Knowledge’ symposium series, Vol. 13 K.T. Borer, D.W. Edington and T.P. White (eds), Human Kinetics Publishers Inc., Champaign, Illinois, (distributed in the UK by Edington Hook & Co.), 1983. vii + 295 pp, $31.95(hb), ISBN 0 931250 49 8

The knee, Philippe Segal and Marcel Jacob, Wolfe Medical Publications, Frome, Somerset, 1984. 143 pp (hb), £15, ISBN 2 224 00887 2

Psychological foundations of sport, J.M. Silva and R.S. Weinberg (eds), Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois, (distributed in the UK by Eddington Hook & Co), 1984. xxiv + 528 pp, £22.50 (hb), ISBN 0 93 1250 59 5

Physical activity and the social sciences, W. Neil Widmeyer, Mouvement Publications Inc., Ithaca, 1983. 472 pp, £9.00 (pb), ISBN 0 932392 13 X     

The relationship between torque and joint angle during knee extension in boys and men

The length-tension relationship of muscle contraction is well documented in adults. However, research on this relationship in children has been limited. The aim of this study was to compare differences in the torque-joint angle relationship of the quadriceps muscle in children and adults. Eight boys aged 8-10 years and eight men aged 20-26 years performed two maximal voluntary isometric contractions at six knee joint angles (20°, 40°, 60°, 80°, 90°, 100°). The mean of the two trials was used as the performance measure. Both groups demonstrated an expected increase in relative torque as the joint angle increased (P ? 0.05). The men produced significantly greater relative torque at 20°, 40° and 60° knee flexion (P ? 0.05). The percentage of maximal torque at these angles for the men and boys respectively were: 35.2 - 4.3 vs 15.2 - 12%, 63.6 - 9.1 vs 51.8 - 16.8% and 93.6 - 6.5 vs 84.4 - 14.4%. There were no group differences at 80° or 90°. Peak torque was attained at 80° in men, but decreased significantly (P ? 0.05) at 90° and 100°. For boys, peak torque was attained at joint angles of 80° and 90°. The reduction in peak torque at 100° was not statistically significant, but the relative torque at this angle was lower in men than in boys (77.9 - 13.7 vs 87.1 - 10.4%; P ? 0.05). In conclusion, the relationship between torque and joint angle appears to be affected by age.     

Time course of recovery of vertical jump height and heart rate versus running speed after a 90-km foot race

It is well known that sport and exercise play an important role in stimulating site-specific bone mineral density (BMD). However, what is less well understood is how these benefits dissipate throughout the body. Hence, the aim of the present study was to compare the BMD (recorded at nine sites throughout the skeleton) of 106 male athletes (from nine sports) with that of 15 male non-exercising age-matched controls. Given that BMD is known to increase with body mass and peak with age, multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance were performed to compare the BMD of the nine sports groups with controls (at all sites) using body mass and age as covariates. Our results confirmed a greater adjusted BMD in the arms of the upper-body athletes, the right arm of racket players and the legs of runners (compared with controls), supporting the site-specific nature (i.e. specific to the externally loaded site) of the bone remodelling response (all P?<0.01). However, evidence that bone mass acquisition is not just site-specific comes from the results of the rugby players, strength athletes, triathletes and racket players. The rugby players' adjusted BMD was the greatest of all sports groups and greater than controls at all nine sites (all P?<0.01), with differences ranging from 8% greater in the left arm to 21% in the lumbar spine. Similarly, the strength athletes' adjusted BMD was superior to that of controls at all sites (P?<0.05) except the legs. The adjusted BMD of the triathletes was significantly greater than that of the controls in both the arms and the legs as well as the thoracic and lumbar spine. The racket players not only had significantly greater right arm BMD compared with the controls but also a greater BMD of the lumbar spine, the pelvis and legs. In contrast, the low-strain, low-impact activities of keep-fit, cycling and rowing failed to benefit BMD compared with the age-matched controls. These results suggest that sporting activities involving high impact, physical contact and/or rotational forces or strains are likely to convey significant benefits not only to the loaded sites, but also to other unloaded peripheral and axial sites throughout the skeleton.     

The science and medicine of cricket: an overview and update

Abstract

Research into the science and medicine underlying cricket performance and injury has progressed since the First World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket in 1999. This review covers material on the physiological and psychological demands of the game and preparation for it, the biomechanics and motor control of cricket skills, the psychology of team dynamics, performance analysis and cricket injuries. Technological aspects of cricket equipment are also covered, where such research could influence injury risk or player performance. Fielding remains the least studied of the skills. Much more research needs to be done before we can gain a full understanding of the scientific aspects of the game. There is a need to address common definitions of injury, along with more research into injury mechanisms. Research on batting needs to bring together motor control and biomechanics more fully. The fitness demands of the game are still poorly understood, along with the mechanisms causing fatigue. Evaluation of the efficacy of intervention strategies needs to continue and to develop. The applications of research need to be communicated more to coaches and players — for example, in team dynamics — so that they can be applied, and tested further, in international matches.