Janire Zalbidea Botran

Janire Zalbidea is Assistant Professor of Spanish applied linguistics and education in the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Her interdisciplinary research agenda centres on second and heritage language acquisition and pedagogy, including task-based learning in the classroom and multilingual development in study abroad settings. A key focus of her research is the roles of students’ individual differences in language acquisition. Her recent work has been externally funded by Language Learning (Wiley) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Originally from the Basque Country, Janire received her PhD in Spanish Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University in 2018. Prior to that, she obtained an MA in Hispanic Linguistics (2013) from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MA in Foreign Language Education (2011) from the University of Deusto, where she also completed her undergraduate education with a BA in English Philology (2010). Before joining Maynooth University in 2024, Janire was Assistant Professor of Spanish Applied Linguistics and director of the Multilingualism and Second Language Acquisition research lab at Temple University in Philadelphia (2018-2024).

Janire teaches modules in the undergraduate, MA and PhD programmes in Spanish and Latin American Studies and in Applied Linguistics and Intercultural Studies. If you are a student or postdoctoral scholar interested in working with Janire, please do not hesitate to contact her.