<p>Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur en grupp typiskt utvecklade, svenska barn, i åldrarna fyra till tio år presterar på tre deltest i VMPAC, för att därmed skapa ett underlag för en referens för svenska barn i bedömningen av avvikande utveckling. Studiens frågeställningar är: 1. <em>Hur presterar en grupp typiskt utvecklade, svenska barn, i åldrarna fyra till tio år, på tre deltest i VMPAC (Focal Oromotor Control, Sequencing Maintenance Control och Connected Speech and Language Control)? </em>och 2. <em>Förekommer det några skillnader mellan en grupp typiskt utvecklade, svenska barn, jämfört med den amerikanska normeringen i VMPAC och barn med verbal dyspraxi (CAS) undersökta inom ramen för en magisteruppsats (Björelius-Hort, 2009)?</em> Oral- och talmotorisk förmåga hos 23 svenska barn i åldrarna fyra till tio år, som åldersmatchats mot barn med verbal dyspraxi (Björelius-Hort, 2009), testades med deltest två, tre och fyra ur VMPAC. Prövning av inter- och intrabedömarreliabiltet visade statistiskt signifikanta resultat, r =. 923 respektive r =. 913, med p <. 001 i båda fallen. Utifrån resultatet kan följande slutsatser dras: 1. att de studerade barnen, generellt presterade över 80 % på deltest två, tre och fyra i VMPAC, oavsett ålder, 2. att skillnaderna mellan den amerikanska normeringen i VMPAC och studiens deltagare är små och 3. att barnen med verbal dyspraxi generellt presterar sämre än den studerade gruppen på samtliga deltest.</p> / <p>The study investigates speech and oral motor skills in typically developed children at different ages. The results are intended to serve as a basis for future reference in the assessment of atypical development in Swedish children. The questions addressed within the study are: 1. <em>How does a group of typically developed, Swedish children, in the ages four to ten years, perform on three subtests in VMPAC (Focal Oromotor Control, Sequencing Maintenance Control and Connected Speech and Language Control)?</em> and 2. <em>Are there any differences in performance between a group of typically developed, Swedish children, and the American standardization in VMPAC and also with the children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) from the study by Björelius-Hort (2009)?</em> Speech and oral motor abilities were assessed using subtests two, three and four in VMPAC. The participants were 23 Swedish children, aged four to ten years old, who had been age-matched based on the children with CAS from the study by Björelius-Hort (2009). Inter- and intra-rater reliability showed statistically significant results, r =. 923 and r =. 913, with p <. 001, in both cases. From the results of the study the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. that the investigated group of children in general performed over 80 % on subtests two, three and four in VMPAC independent of age, 2. that the differences between the American standardization in VMPAC and the participants in this study were almost nonexistent and 3. that children with CAS in general performed poorer than the investigated group of children in all subtests.</p>

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur en grupp typiskt utvecklade, svenska barn, i åldrarna fyra till tio år presterar på tre deltest i VMPAC, för att därmed skapa ett underlag för en referens för svenska barn i bedömningen av avvikande utveckling. Studiens frågeställningar är: 1. Hur presterar en grupp typiskt utvecklade, svenska barn, i åldrarna fyra till tio år, på tre deltest i VMPAC (Focal Oromotor Control, Sequencing Maintenance Control och Connected Speech and Language Control)? och 2. Förekommer det några skillnader mellan en grupp typiskt utvecklade, svenska barn, jämfört med den amerikanska normeringen i VMPAC och barn med verbal dyspraxi (CAS) undersökta inom ramen för en magisteruppsats (Björelius-Hort, 2009)? Oral- och talmotorisk förmåga hos 23 svenska barn i åldrarna fyra till tio år, som åldersmatchats mot barn med verbal dyspraxi (Björelius-Hort, 2009), testades med deltest två, tre och fyra ur VMPAC. Prövning av inter- och intrabedömarreliabiltet visade statistiskt signifikanta resultat, r =. 923 respektive r =. 913, med p &lt;. 001 i båda fallen. Utifrån resultatet kan följande slutsatser dras: 1. att de studerade barnen, generellt presterade över 80 % på deltest två, tre och fyra i VMPAC, oavsett ålder, 2. att skillnaderna mellan den amerikanska normeringen i VMPAC och studiens deltagare är små och 3. att barnen med verbal dyspraxi generellt presterar sämre än den studerade gruppen på samtliga deltest. / The study investigates speech and oral motor skills in typically developed children at different ages. The results are intended to serve as a basis for future reference in the assessment of atypical development in Swedish children. The questions addressed within the study are: 1. How does a group of typically developed, Swedish children, in the ages four to ten years, perform on three subtests in VMPAC (Focal Oromotor Control, Sequencing Maintenance Control and Connected Speech and Language Control)? and 2. Are there any differences in performance between a group of typically developed, Swedish children, and the American standardization in VMPAC and also with the children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) from the study by Björelius-Hort (2009)? Speech and oral motor abilities were assessed using subtests two, three and four in VMPAC. The participants were 23 Swedish children, aged four to ten years old, who had been age-matched based on the children with CAS from the study by Björelius-Hort (2009). Inter- and intra-rater reliability showed statistically significant results, r =. 923 and r =. 913, with p &lt;. 001, in both cases. From the results of the study the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. that the investigated group of children in general performed over 80 % on subtests two, three and four in VMPAC independent of age, 2. that the differences between the American standardization in VMPAC and the participants in this study were almost nonexistent and 3. that children with CAS in general performed poorer than the investigated group of children in all subtests.

Sport has become a very competitive business and focus has been placed on reaching ones full potential. Visual involvement in a sport varies according to environmental demands associated with that sport. These environmental demands are matched by a task specific motor response. The primary aim of this study was to determine if visual skills training programmes could produce beneficial performance results for cricket and soccer players. In order to measure the athletic ability of a cricket and soccer player it is important not only to measure the hardware visual skills of the player, but also the player’s hand-eye co-ordination ability and software visual skills. Thus, aspects of the nervous system such as perceptual motor co-ordination, reaction time and anticipation ability should also be measured to get an indication of the player’s performance ability. In this study highly skilled cricket players and highly skilled soccer academy players, who were actively participating at a provincial level of competition, served as subjects. Due to professional reasons, the soccer academy players had to withdraw from this study. The provincial cricket players continued for the duration of the programme. Thus, due to the abovementioned the aim of this study was two fold, to determine whether statistically significant differences exist between the pre and post-training measurements of cricket players on several visual skills tests and secondly to determine whether statistically significant differences exist between the pre-training measurements of cricket and soccer players on the various visual skills measurements. The data of the variables tested were coded in computer format and statistically evaluated. Since the sample is relatively small non-parametric statistics were used to analyse the data. Two different Non-parametric t-tests were used: the Wilcoxon test is the distribution-free analogue of the t-test for related samples and the Mann-Whitney test is the distribution-free alternative to the independent samples t-test and was used for testing the differences between the means of the cricket players and the soccer players. After the initial testing the cricket players participated in an eight-week visual skill and performance skills programme for 60 minutes a day, once a week. The programme included sports vision activities, speed and agility activities and ball skills activities. Hereafter a retest was done. The pre-training and post-training values of the cricket players were recorded and significance of difference was determined by using the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. The experimental research revealed that the visual skills programme did have a significant influence on most of the tested variables (ball handling skills, co-ordination, visual awareness, eye tracking skills, accuracy, peripheral awareness, pro-action – reaction skills and visual concentration). For some variables that were tested on the experimental group (the cricket players) improvements were found, which indicates that the improvements can be ascribed to the visual skills programme. The results indicated that more than half of the variables tested improved. It can thus be concluded that the hypothesis that was set for this paper has been proven right. Statistics indicated that there was an increase in most of the variables tested (ball handling skills, co-ordination, visual awareness, eye tracking skills, accuracy, peripheral awareness, proaction – reaction skills and visual concentration), which prove then that visual skills training will result in an increase in the players’ visual fields resulting to an increase in the visual skills on and off the cricket fields. Visual skills training programmes are beneficial to competitive sports performance. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

Visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination contribute to successful academic, school and career life. Literature also indicates that delays in the skills in above mentioned abilities could lead to delays in the mastering of object control skills. Furthermore, due to the developing needs of South Africa, there is a range of socio-economic challenges, and the effects on the above mentioned skills seem to lack development. Due to the possible effect that visual skills can have on academic performance, it seems important to further investigate the effect it may have on sport skills as well. The aim of this study was firstly, to determine the effect of gender differences and school types associated with different socio-economic conditions on the visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination abilities of Grade 1 boys and girls in the North West Province of South Africa. Secondly, the study aimed to determine the relationship between visual-motor integration, visual perception, motor co-ordination and object control skills of Grade 1-learners in the North West Province of South Africa. For the purpose of the first objective 816 participants (419 boys and 397 girls) were evaluated and for the second objective, 806 participants (413 boys and 393 girls) were evaluated. The test instrument used to determine the level of the participants’ visual-motor skills was the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration – 4th ed. (VMI-4) which consisted of the visual- motor integration test and two subtests which included visual perception and motor co- ordination. The children’s object-control skills were tested with the Test of Gross Motor Development – 2 (TGMD-2) which is designed to test the gross motor functioning of children from 3 to 10 years old. The STATISTICA software package (StatSoft, 2013) was used to analyse data. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics as well as a variation analyses (ANOVA). ANOVA was used to determine the interaction effect between gender and/or socio-economic status and visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. Independent t-testing was used to determine the effect of gender differences and socio-economic status in visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. Effect sizes (d) were used to calculate practical significance of differences. Two-way frequency tables were used to compare the classifications of the different school quintiles (Quintile 1-3 = schools associated with low socio-economic status and Quintile 4-5 = schools associated with high socio-economic status) among the VMI-4-classes. The Pearson Chi-square was used to indicate the significance of the differences and the level of statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. Furthermore a Spearman rank order correlation was used to determine the correlations among visual-motor integration, visual perception, motor co-ordination, striking a stationary ball, stationary dribble, catch, kick, underhand rolling and overhand throw, and an object control total. The results revealed that gender had no significant effect on visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination within the respective school types associated with different socio-economic conditions. Although there were no significant differences between the boys and girls, statistically significant higher mean scores were found in school types associated with higher socio-economic status (Quintile 4 and 5) with regard to visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. The object control skills total had small and medium correlations with visual- motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. Visual perception had the highest correlation with the object control skills total. These results contribute to our understanding of the influence that visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination have on sport skills and more specifically ball sport skills. This knowledge enables researchers to better address problems which present in early years with regard to visual skills, as well as the negative impact which low socio-economic circumstances have on these skills in order to improve academic and sport skills later. / MA (Child Kinetics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination contribute to successful academic, school and career life. Literature also indicates that delays in the skills in above mentioned abilities could lead to delays in the mastering of object control skills. Furthermore, due to the developing needs of South Africa, there is a range of socio-economic challenges, and the effects on the above mentioned skills seem to lack development. Due to the possible effect that visual skills can have on academic performance, it seems important to further investigate the effect it may have on sport skills as well. The aim of this study was firstly, to determine the effect of gender differences and school types associated with different socio-economic conditions on the visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination abilities of Grade 1 boys and girls in the North West Province of South Africa. Secondly, the study aimed to determine the relationship between visual-motor integration, visual perception, motor co-ordination and object control skills of Grade 1-learners in the North West Province of South Africa. For the purpose of the first objective 816 participants (419 boys and 397 girls) were evaluated and for the second objective, 806 participants (413 boys and 393 girls) were evaluated. The test instrument used to determine the level of the participants’ visual-motor skills was the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration – 4th ed. (VMI-4) which consisted of the visual- motor integration test and two subtests which included visual perception and motor co- ordination. The children’s object-control skills were tested with the Test of Gross Motor Development – 2 (TGMD-2) which is designed to test the gross motor functioning of children from 3 to 10 years old. The STATISTICA software package (StatSoft, 2013) was used to analyse data. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics as well as a variation analyses (ANOVA). ANOVA was used to determine the interaction effect between gender and/or socio-economic status and visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. Independent t-testing was used to determine the effect of gender differences and socio-economic status in visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. Effect sizes (d) were used to calculate practical significance of differences. Two-way frequency tables were used to compare the classifications of the different school quintiles (Quintile 1-3 = schools associated with low socio-economic status and Quintile 4-5 = schools associated with high socio-economic status) among the VMI-4-classes. The Pearson Chi-square was used to indicate the significance of the differences and the level of statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. Furthermore a Spearman rank order correlation was used to determine the correlations among visual-motor integration, visual perception, motor co-ordination, striking a stationary ball, stationary dribble, catch, kick, underhand rolling and overhand throw, and an object control total. The results revealed that gender had no significant effect on visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination within the respective school types associated with different socio-economic conditions. Although there were no significant differences between the boys and girls, statistically significant higher mean scores were found in school types associated with higher socio-economic status (Quintile 4 and 5) with regard to visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. The object control skills total had small and medium correlations with visual- motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination. Visual perception had the highest correlation with the object control skills total. These results contribute to our understanding of the influence that visual-motor integration, visual perception and motor co-ordination have on sport skills and more specifically ball sport skills. This knowledge enables researchers to better address problems which present in early years with regard to visual skills, as well as the negative impact which low socio-economic circumstances have on these skills in order to improve academic and sport skills later. / MA (Child Kinetics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Movement and motor development for children is a current issue. Research shows that children are becoming more sedentary in front of the television, computer, iPad, etc. The purpose of my thesis is to study how pedagogues work with movement and motor development in the preschool yard. In my attempt to investigate this, a qualitative research in the form of face-to-face interviews was performed. Qualitative interviews is the chosen method for my research to provide as extensive and detailed answers as possible. Six preschool teachers (both with and without pedagogic education) from three different preschools participated in the research. The results show that none of the teachers worked with planned movement activities to support the development of children’s physical development. However, they all felt that movement and motor development are important for the children and that a lot of movement and motor training are already performed naturally in the outdoor stay. / Rörelse och motorisk utveckling hos barn är idag ett mycket aktuellt ämne. Forskning visar att barn nu för tiden blir alltmer stillasittande framför bland annat tv, dator, Ipad. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur pedagoger arbetar med rörelse och motorisk utveckling på förskolegården. För att undersöka detta gjordes en kvalitativ undersökning i form av kvalitativa intervjuer. Totalt intervjuades sex pedagoger (både barnskötare och förskollärare) från tre olika förskolor. Resultatet visar att ingen av pedagogerna har arbetat med planerade rörelseaktiviteter för att främja barns motoriska utveckling. Däremot ansåg de intervjuade pedagogerna att rörelse och motorisk utveckling är viktigt för barnen och att det till stor del sker naturligt i utomhusvistelsen.

It appears from the literature that the mastery of motor skills is essential for the optimal development of young school beginners' cognitive, perceptual, sport-specific and emotional skills. Researchers agree that the optimal development and mastering of motor skills occurs during specific sensitive periods in each child's life, and this is why it is important that children are provided with appropriate opportunities to develop these skills. The conditions in which a child grows up appear to be a significant factor influencing motor development during childhood. Environmental factors such as socio-economic conditions seem to play a role in the development of young children 's motor skills . Literature suggests that poor motor development generally occurs among children with insufficient areas for playing, and results from low socio-economic conditions in which the parents have a low income and limited resources. A large percentage of South African children are exposed to low socio-economic conditions that may consequently affect their development. The objectives of this study therefore were to determine the effect of socio-economic conditions on the motor- and object-control skills of Grade 1-learners. Eight hundred and sixteen (N=816) (+0.39 sd) Grade 1-learners with an average age of 6.8 years from 20 different schools in the North West Province, representing five different school types (quintile 1 (low) to quintile 5 (high), participated in the study. The short form (SF) of the "Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency" 2nd edition (BOT-2) (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), as well as several subscales (strength and agility and balance) of the longer form (LF) were used to evaluate gross and fine motor development and divide learners into various categories of mastering. The “Test of Gross Motor Development” 2nd edition (TGMD-2), was used to evaluate object control skills and divide subjects into various mastered categories. The data was analyzed by means of analysis of variance correlation coefficients using the "Statistica for Windows" (Statsoft, 2012) program. The results were adjusted for height and age. Two-way frequency tables and cross-tabulations were also used to analyze the data. With regards to objective 1 , the resluts showed that learners from quintile 4 and 5 schools, representing schools from higher socio-economic conditions, scored significantly better than quintile 1 to 3 schools in six sub-items (fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral coordination, strength and upper limb coordination) of the BOT-2 (SF) (p<0.05) while no differences were found in the LF subscales. Quintile 4 and 5 schools also received significantly better (p<0.05) scores in the SF standard score and percentiles of the BOT-2. The results indicate d> that the motor proficiency of learners from higher socio-economic conditions were better than those of learners from lower socio-economic conditions. With regards to the second objective of the study, the analysis of the results indicated that quintile 5 schools performed significantly better (p<0.05) in throwing, hitting, dribbling, and catching than quintile 1 to 3 schools, while quintile 1 and 3 schools performed significantly better (p≤0.05) in the kicking skill. Quintile 4 and 5 schools also fared significantly better (p<0.05) in the object control standard score than quintile 1 to 3 schools. The group's age equivalent, according to the TGMD-2, was 5.5 years, and ranged from 5.1 years to 5.9 years, indicating a mean age difference of 1.3 years compared with the chronological age of the group. / MA (Kinderkinetics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

As early as 1994, and with transformation in mind, the African National Congress (ANC) identified the development of the previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa as a national priority. In so doing, sport, among others, was used in this strategy as a medium to improve and change the circumstances of people in disadvantaged communities. Sports development in disadvantaged communities is essential, if taken into consideration that without such further support of the sport talent of some of these children, the needs of these talented children cannot be met and their potential will remain undeveloped. Talent identification (TID), which is based on scientific principles and forms the first step in sports development, still is relatively new in South Africa. Historically, coaches used their own knowledge and experience of the characteristics, which should lead to success in sport as well as participation in competitions in order to do TID. To date, very little research has been done on talent identification and development in sprints and long-jump, especially pertaining to young boy and girl athletes, and in particular concerning athletes from disadvantaged communities. The first and second objectives of this study were to implement sport specific athletics development programmes aimed at improving sprinting and long-jump ability and to determine its effect on the abilities and skills of talented 10 to 15 year-old girls and boys with talent for sprints and long-jump. The third and fourth objectives of this study were to establish which kinanthropometric, physical and motor components will play such a role in 10 to 15 year-olds that it can predict performance ability in sprints and long-jump in girls and boys at this age. The "Australian Talent Search" protocol was used to identify general sport talent in the children (66 girls and 62 boys) who were identified for the study. The talented children (19 girls and 21 boys) from the initial group of were then subjected to a sport specific test battery for sprints and long-jump. The maturation level of the boys was determined by means of a maturity questionnaire, based on the 5 Tanner stages. By using the Statistica and SAS computer programmes, independent t-testing, covariance analyses, correlation coefficients, effect sizes, descriptive statistics as well as a stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data with regard to the above-mentioned objectives. A p-value smaller than or equal to 0.05 was accepted as significant. From the results of the study it is evident that the development programmes contributed to the improvement of physical and motor abilities and skills important for performance in both sprints and long-jump in girls (n=19) and boys (n=21) respectively. Among the girls, flexibility, explosive power, muscle endurance, reaction time, speed, speed endurance, acceleration and long-jump showed statistically significant improvement, while abdominal muscle strength and stride length showed no improvement. Secondly, it was established that the development programme contributed statistically significantly to an improvement in flexibility, muscle endurance, 0-40 metres speed and long-jump ability in boys. However, some components did not show improvement, among them explosive power, reaction time, speed endurance, acceleration and stride length. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the third and fourth objectives. It indicated that, in respect to the 100 metres sprint, 7 variables, namely long-jump, push-ups to the point of exhaustion, 7-level abdominal strength, 0-5 metres speed, ankle dorsiflexion, body length and age contributed 84.0% to the total variance in girls. As for long-jump, 7 variables, namely 0-100 metres speed, body length, 7-level abdominal strength, push-ups, ankle dorsiflexion, standing long-jump and body mass proved to be the most important contributors to performance in these items with a total contribution of 79% to the total variance. The fourth objective indicated that average anaerobic power output, acceleration and body mass contributed statistically significantly to performance in the 100 metres sprint in boys with a contribution of 86.5% to the total variance. Horizontal jump, age and acceleration contributed statistically significantly to long-jump performance with a contribution of 81 5% to the total variance. It is evident from this study that sport specific development programmes can successfully be implemented on girls and boys at ages 10-15 in order to improve sprinting and long-jump ability, regardless of poverty-stricken circumstances and poor infrastructure. Furthermore, the study brought to light that specific kinanthropometric, physical and motor abilities exist which can be used to predict performance in sprints and long-jump in girls and boys separately at ages 10 to 15. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Title Evaluation of walking, running and overarm throwing of preschool children. Work objectives The thesis aim is to identify and assess the level of selected movement skills of walking, running and overarm throwing in preschool children from three to six years. Movement level will be determined using the manuals and methodologies written by Haywood. During the measurement, we will focus on gender differences in movement levels and movement differences between various age categories, thus between 3 - 4 and 5 - 6 years old children from the analyzed sample. The sub-objective is to determine whether manuals and methodologies, written by the mentioned author above, can be applied to preschool children in the Czech conditions. Methodology Physical level of preschool children was assessed qualitatively. Qualitative assessment of the walking, running and overarm throwing level was executed by observation. For a record of our observation, we used a digital camera, which enables more precise movement analysis by slow motion mode. The statically placed camera recorded movements from sides, front and back. Results 31 children including 18 boys and 13 girls were evaluated in overall. We have noticed that children acquire the walking best, because all 31 children reached the mature form of walking....

Name: Basic training of the future track and field competitors Target of this work is analysis performance development of tested group of children and young athletes after experience basic athletic preparation lasting one year. Another target was finding out a difference of size performance growth between boys and girls in each class. Testing was applicae on a group of athletes in age 12 - 15, 6.-9. class. Tested children went through enter measuring, following kontroll measuring and finally measuring. They took a part in many competetions, which results I recorded and made conclusion. The enter measuring was made in september 2013, finally measuring one year later in september 2014.. All results was calculated, compared and evaluated. In my work I explored importance of performance increase about boys and girls in each classes after one year.. I compared also a differences in development of children with different weekly training frequency. It was confirmed, that children, practising more than threetimes a week, will reach earlier performance growth and better results. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)