Associate Professor Chyllis Scott (Teaching and Learning) and Associate Professor Tracy Spies (Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education) have signed on as the new co-directors of the Gayle A. Zeiter Literacy Development Center. 

Dr. Scott’s research focuses on K-16 literacy instruction, including, literacy assessment, content-area and disciplinary literacy, academic writing, and mentoring for preservice and inservice teachers and students in higher education. Dr. Spies’ research centers on intervention design and educator preparation in creating high quality language environments for multilingual learners with and without disabilities. The new co-directors have worked together on a variety of interdisciplinary projects, including grants, state initiatives, professional development and publications. 

The Zeiter Center plays a vital role in the community. Through interdisciplinary approaches and collaborations, the center will foster current relationships and initiatives while building new ones, both through seeking internal and external grants, research, and scholarly activity. In addition, the center will provide professional development to support community partners’ language and literacy initiatives and goals. The center’s interdisciplinary vision and mission is responsive to our community and aims to address the language and literacy needs of PK-12 students, preservice and inservice teachers, educators, researchers, community entities, and families. The interdisciplinary literacy foci may include: 

• Family literacy

• Multilingual literacy 

• Literacy across the disciplines

• The arts

The new co-directors look forward to building upon the center’s vision and mission and working with their colleagues in the College of Education.