Exploring instruction on variable future-time expression in L2 Spanish

Future-time expression provides an interesting test-case for the acquisition of variation in Spanish, since several forms convey the future, including morphological future (e.g. iré ‘I will go’), periphrastic future (e.g. voy a ir ‘I am going to go’), and present indicative (e.g. voy ‘I go’). Research has considered to what extent learners select these forms in variable contexts, but investigations have not included pedagogical interventions, despite calls for instruction informed by variation. This study investigates the effects of an explicit classroom intervention in which 54 participants received either the university curriculum’s standard instruction on morphological future formation; deductive instruction regarding general usage rates for future-time forms and the effects of independent variables from previous research (i.e. formality, temporal distance, presence of temporal adverbials); or guided induction plus three 20-minute review activities. Instruction in all groups was given during one 50-minute period. Participants completed a contextualized preference task four times throughout one semester. The deductive instruction group and the guided induction plus review group maintained more target-like rates of selection and sensitivity to contextual factors compared to the control group. This study provides a necessary first step in observing the effects of instruction on variation after a brief pedagogical intervention.