Yuke Zhu,Xinwen Zhang

This study aims to explore the washback effect of the Gaokao continuous writing test on high school English writing teaching and learning through the deployment of questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observation scales, providing a more scientific and objective research perspective and data support for high school English writing instruction. The research uncovers that the washback effect of continuous writing has its positive aspects, potentially fostering teachers’ emphasis on nurturing students' creative thinking and writing skills; however, it also has its negative aspects, potentially leading to a one-sided and mechanistic approach to teaching content and methods. Based on the empirical data, the study further proposes five recommendations beneficial to English teaching practices and student writing strategies, including “strengthening teacher training, enhancing teaching capability,” “integrating various lesson types, innovating textbook usage,” “clarifying evaluation criteria, guiding peer assessment,” “benchmarking scoring standards, formulating enhancement strategies,” and “innovating learning methods, solidifying language foundations.”

Gaokao continuous writing; washback effect; English writing instruction

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