Shelbie Witte

Assistant Professor, School of Teacher Education

Assistant Professor Awarded National Grant to Study Vocabulary Development

Shelbie Witte, assistant professor in the College of Education’s School of Teacher Education received a research grant from the National Writing Project to study how professional development in vocabulary affects classroom instruction. Witte’s research will focus on schools in Leon County (Florida) and surrounding areas and will support teachers as they develop a focus on vocabulary pedagogy.

According to Witte, content vocabulary and the quality of its instruction across disciplines is integral to helping students understand the vital role words play in academic success. Because words are the common thread across disciplines, students with a highly developed vocabulary are better able to understand and articulate concepts in any given field of study.

“The ability to define complex terminology, to apply the terminology to real life environments and to be fearless in the construction and deconstruction of words in specific contexts and situations is critical to student success,” said Witte.

The project is part of a national study that explores how vocabulary instruction is influenced by teachers’ professional development. The collaborative effort will help determine the most effective methods of teaching vocabulary and how they can be implemented in the classroom.

The National Writing Project (NWP) is a professional development network that serves teachers of writing at all grade levels, primary through university, and in all subjects. The mission of the NWP is to improve student achievement by improving the teaching of writing and improving learning in the nation’s schools.


				Shelbie Witte Assistant Professor, School of Teacher Education Assistant Professor Awarded National Grant to Study Vocabulary Development Shelbie Witte, assistant professor in the College of Education’s School of Teacher Education received a research grant from the National Writing Project to study how professional development in vocabulary affects classroom instruction. Witte’s research will focus on schools in Leon County (Florida) and surrounding areas and will support teachers as they develop a focus on vocabulary pedagogy. According to Witte, content vocabulary and the quality of its instruction across disciplines is integral to helping students understand the vital role words play in academic success. Because words are the common thread across disciplines, students with a highly developed vocabulary are better able to understand and articulate concepts in any given field of study. “The ability to define complex terminology, to apply the terminology to real life environments and to be fearless in the construction and deconstruction of words in specific contexts and situations is critical to student success,” said Witte. The project is part of a national study that explores how vocabulary instruction is influenced by teachers’ professional development. The collaborative effort will help determine the most effective methods of teaching vocabulary and how they can be implemented in the classroom. The National Writing Project (NWP) is a professional development network that serves teachers of writing at all grade levels, primary through university, and in all subjects. The mission of the NWP is to improve student achievement by improving the teaching of writing and improving learning in the nation’s schools.