Writer’s block in continuation task: Construct, causes, and link with task performance

This study investigates writer’s block in senior high school students during continuation task, an integrated reading-writing exercise widely used in China. Despite the task’s growing application, little research has addressed specific writer’s block of high school English learners. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 2,587 students through questionnaires and supplemented by interviews with ten participants. Factor analysis identified three primary indicators of writer’s block, i.e. content processing block, language block, and affective block. Correlation and regression analyses uncovered the significant predictive effects of content processing and language blocks on continuation task performance, whereas affective block was not an effective predictor. Qualitative insights further elucidated teacher- and learner-related causes of writer’s block in continuation task, such as insufficient teacher support and students’ lack of linguistic and strategic resources. The findings suggest the need for targeted pedagogical strategies to address these challenges and enhance students’ writing efficacy in continuation tasks.