Abstract
Drawing on a cognitive–affective dual-dimension framework, this study examines how iterative contrastive continuation tasks promote L2 writing development among Chinese senior high school students. Over a 16-week intervention, mixed-method analyses were conducted to trace linguistic and emotional changes across multiple writing cycles. Writing performance was evaluated using the CAF framework, focusing on phrase complexity, syntactic accuracy, and logical coherence. Academic emotions were measured through a task-specific scale based on Pekrun’s control–value theory. Results from linear mixed-effects modeling showed significant gains in phrase complexity, syntactic accuracy, and coherence, with positive academic emotions partially mediating the relationship between task participation and linguistic improvement. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed that high-proficiency learners tended to employ creative phrase reconstruction, while lower-level learners relied on template-based revision, indicating differentiated cognitive load and strategy use. These findings suggest that iterative contrastive continuation tasks activate both cognitive processing and affective regulation, forming a synergistic mechanism where cognition drives linguistic internalization and emotion sustains engagement. This dynamic interaction supports a dual-pathway model of writing development—cognitive-driven, affective-sustained, and language-enhancing—which extends dynamic systems theory and provides pedagogical insights for designing cognitively adaptive and emotionally responsive writing instruction.
Details
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Theme
KEYWORDS
Iterative contrastive continuation, Iterative contrastive continuation, Cognitive–affective synergy, L2 writing
