Exploring the role of input in teaching of continuation writing task : A case study for senior high school English teacher

This qualitative case study investigates how senior high school English teachers in China plan and prepare input materials for the Continuation Writing Task (CWT), a component of the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao). Through semi-structured interviews and document analysis with three teachers, the research identifies four interconnected themes. Findings reveal that teachers’ reading material selection for students CWT writing is strategically focused on aligning with exam trends, ensuring thematic relevance, controlling difficulty, and stimulating student interest, primarily using narrative genres. However, they face significant challenges, including a scarcity of high-quality texts, difficulty mismatches, cultural accessibility issues, and balancing exam preparation with classroom engagement. In response, teachers employ adaptive strategies such as diversifying resources (e.g., textbooks, online materials, past papers), implementing tiered adaptations for proficiency levels, and building cultural bridges. The study concludes that effective CWT preparation requires teachers to act as critical curators, navigating the tension between standardized exam demands and the need to foster student engagement and writing proficiency.