Close-up headshot of a person with long dark hair and glasses, wearing a black top, indoors with window blinds and small plants in the background.

Zina Knop

Adjunct Instructor of Hebrew

Education
Certificate in Biblical Hebrew, Jewish Theological Seminary, Expected: August 2026
M.A., Teaching Hebrew as a Second Language, Middlebury College, 2023
Israel Teaching Certification, Early Childhood–Grades 1–2, Oranim Academic College, 2012
B.A., Theater, University of Haifa, 2008

Research Interest
Zina Knop specializes in the teaching and learning of Modern Hebrew as a second language. Her research interests include Hebrew language pedagogy, multilingual identity, second language acquisition, heritage language learning, positive psychology in language education, and technology-enhanced language instruction. Her work explores how language learning supports cultural identity development and meaningful communication in multilingual contexts.

Courses Taught

  • HEB 101–102 – Beginning Modern Hebrew
  • HEB 201–202 – Intermediate Modern Hebrew
  • HEB 305–315 – Advanced Modern Hebrew
  • Modern Hebrew Language and Culture

Selected Publications
Knop, Z. (2026). Language, Identity, and Pedagogy: A Near-Native Hebrew Educator’s Voice in Second Language Teaching. National Association of Professors of Hebrew (NAPH).

Professional Affiliations

  • Association for Jewish Studies (AJS)
  • National Association of Professors of Hebrew (NAPH)
  • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)