Closer Look: Dialects, “Code-Switching” and Literacy; Brookhaven Mayor and Affordable Housing; And More
August 7, 2018
Tuesday on “Closer Look with Rose Scott”:
0:00: Rose Scott gives a news brief about how following last night’s Atlanta Board of Education vote, Atlanta property owners will soon see higher property tax bills. As reported by WABE news, residents last night pleaded with the APS board to lower the millage rate, and the board did vote to reduce the millage rate — but not enough to prevent a tax increase. Bills still will rise by an average of eight percent. Homeowners warned that even that increase could make their taxes unaffordable. APS contends the additional revenue is necessary and two reasons: rising costs from health care and an under-funded pension system. A note of disclosure: WABE’s broadcast license is held by the Atlanta Board of Education.
2:26: Dr. Julie Washington is a professor and the Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Georgia State University. She studies the importance of dialect and “code-switching” in developing literacy, focusing on how dialect plays a role in the reading success of children — and how it may contribute to a gap in achievement and test scores. One way to narrow the gap, she says, is to help kids learn the dialect taught in schools and help schools accept the dialect students bring with them. Dr. Washington points to new insight that may help: research from Greece that indicates that fluent speakers of two dialects might benefit from some of the cognitive advantages that accrue to speakers of two languages. We learn more from Dr. Washington.
23:35: The City of Brookhaven recently backed out of a redevelopment plan for a neighborhood on Buford Highway. The original plan with Ardent Companies included a significant affordable housing component – which Brookhaven leaders say was not taken seriously by the developer. We talk with Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst about the city’s decision, and their ongoing commitment to affordable housing.
Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst talks about the city’s plans for affordable housing. Photo credit: Emilia Brock
41:31: We continue our series on National Farmers Market Week with Greg Ibach, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We discuss the overall role of farmers markets in the agriculture industry, and take a look at the partnerships and opportunities that markets can provide for local food producers nationwide.
Closer Look is produced by Candace Wheeler, Emilia Brock and Trevor Young.
