Writing in Spanish as a second and heritage language: Past, present, and future

In recent years, writing in Spanish as a foreign or heritage language has assumed more prominence in research and curricular policy in the United States. Increasing numbers of heritage language learners, the emergence of social media tools, renewed interest in writing genres, and changing instruction methods have all influenced how we understand writing and writers. This article provides a brief overview of the aspects of writing that are currently pertinent in pedagogical and research contexts, and suggests what writing practices might look like in the future.