Processing Instruction and the Subjunctive

Research is uncovering developmental factors (e.g., interactions between syntactic and morphological development) that account for the fact that foreign-language learners of Spanish completing the intermediate level seem to benefit little from subjunctive instruction (cf. Leow 1993, 1995; Terrell et al. 1987; Collentine 1995, 1997a, 1997b). Yet, little is known about how different methodological approaches to grammar instruction affect subjunctive acquisition. Recently, investigators (e.g., Cadierno 1995; VanPatten and Cadierno 1993) have presented evidence that Processing Instruction, an input-oriented approach to grammar instruction promoting the intake of grammatical properties, may be more effective than traditional, output-oriented approaches in facilitating the acquisition of grammar. An experiment comparing the two approaches with the subjunctive indicates that, while Processing Instruction is indeed effective at fostering learners' subjunctive abilities, output-oriented instruction is equally effective in tasks where the subjunctive has communicative value.