Chapter 21. Looking ahead: Future directions for research on advancednesss and instructional practice in second language Spanish

The present concluding chapter provides an overview of the main results yielded by the empirical research included in the present volume. It further explores our understanding of advanced proficiency in Spanish as a second/foreign language by identifying challenges in defining advancedness, as well as challenges in defining the advanced learner, in terms of linguistic development and socially situated language use. In doing so, the present volume establishes directions for future research and generates questions for practitioners to consider as they design foreign-language courses and curricula targeting advanced-level proficiency. Future directions for research and instructional practice are contextualized according to definitions, challenges, and possibilities, as we consider advancedness in L2 Spanish.