Spanish Present Subjunctive Usage by U.S. Spanish Heritage Speakers

Abstract

This study is a descriptive, qualitative focus-on-form case study of the written production and recognition skills of the Spanish present subjunctive of ten heritage speakers enrolled in a Spanish class. A pre-test and two posttests were given to determine if a Spanish reading selection containing an input flood of the present subjunctive would effect the participants' skills in recognizing and producing the form in doze passages and if there would be long-term retention of the form. Results indicate sporadic written use of the form after exposure to the treatment and lower or similar scores on the recognition task both before and after the treatment.