Javier Perez-Zapatero

Javier Pérez-Zapatero (B.A., University of Granada, Spain, 1989; M.A., University of Granada, 1991) joined the Barnard faculty in 2007. In addition to teaching, he also serves as Barnard's Study Abroad Advisor for Spanish Language Programs.

He has been a Sworn Translator for the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2000. Before joining Barnard, he taught Spanish as a Foreign Language and Translation and Interpretation at various institutions such as the University of Granada (Spain), Heriot-Watt University (UK), and the United Nations International School of New York.

His main areas of research and interest include Translation Applied to Second Language Teaching, Mediation, Integration of Language and Content, Inclusivity and Intersectionality of Content in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom, Audiovisual Discourse, Audio Description, the use of L1 in the foreign language classroom, editing, and creation of teaching materials, among others.

He is also the co-author of the project-based, content-focused Spanish as a Foreign Language Program Proyectos, which Barnard and Columbia adopted in 2019 as the official manual of our Spanish program.
He directs LGBT+ Madrid, a Barnard Global Faculty-Led Program in Madrid, held during Spring Break

He is also the co-creator of the website ContextoeLeGTB+, launched in 2024, a project funded by Barnard's Diversity, Equity & Innovation Fund for Innovation in Teaching (DEI FIT). ContextoeLeGTB+ is a permeable pedagogical repository with original documents on LGBT+ and intersectional issues aimed at teaching Spanish as a foreign language.