A case of Form-Focused Instruction (FFI): the present subjunctive in Spanish

Abstract:

This study investigated how Brazilian students develop their learning with regard to the present subjunctive in Spanish, particularly when they use the conjunctions cuando, aunque, and donde. The research was applied to intermediate students at a private institution in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Form-Focused Instruction (FFI) was applied as the theoretical framework, with an emphasis on the ideas of Spada (1997, 2008, 2010) and Ellis (2001, 2006, 2009). The research included four stages: pre-test, remedial lessons, immediate post-test, and delayed post-test. TheEdmodo Platform and Team Speak Program were used as tools for oral and written assignments. Data analysis illustrated the ongoing misunderstanding and how much FFI was beneficial for learning the present subjunctive in Spanish.

Keywords:
Spanish; form-focused instruction; present subjunctive; foreign language