Marcy J Ziska

Marcy J Ziska is a Lecturer at the University of Arizona, specializing in Spanish language pedagogy and second language acquisition. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona College of Education with a minor in Spanish, an M.A. in Spanish Literature from the same institution, and a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research explores language ideologies among U.S. Southwest Spanish learners, teaching methodologies for Gen Z students, and literary analysis of Spanish and Latin American works.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., University of Arizona College of Education (Spanish minor)
  • M.A., Spanish Literature, University of Arizona
  • B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara

Her interdisciplinary work bridges literature and education, including studies on indigenous representation in Miguel Ángel Asturias’ Hombres de maíz and embodied cognition in Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s La vida es sueño. She actively engages in professional development through international coursework in Spanish language teaching (ELE) across Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Guatemala.

Ziska has presented workshops on online pedagogy, Gen Z classroom dynamics, and emergent literacy. Her nomination for the SLAT conference’s ‘Best New Research’ award highlights contributions to second language acquisition theory. She pilots innovative textbook materials for introductory Spanish courses and emphasizes community-building in hybrid learning environments.

Professional service includes participation in the Office of Instruction and Assessment’s ‘Fall Teaching Reflections and Models’ series. Her international teaching credentials span institutions like Instituto Mediterráneo Sol (Spain), Universidad de Guanajuato (Mexico), and Enforex (Spain).