Study on the Application of the Output Hypothesis to English Writing Teaching in Senior High Schools from the Perspective of Cultivating Critical Thinking Ability

Abstract

This study explores the application of Swain's Output Hypothesis in cultivating critical thinking skills within high school English writing instruction, aiming to address the core contradiction between the mindset cultivation objectives outlined in the General High School English Curriculum Standards (2020 Edition) and the prevailing tendency towards template-based teaching. Through textual analysis, theoretical integration, and model design, the research first diagnoses the current state and issues in high school English writing instruction and student writing. Subsequently, it constructs a "controversy-driven writing framework" based on these findings, proposing two innovative principles: the adoption of a three-dimensional screening criterion for topic design that emphasizes social relevance, openness, and debatability; and the implementation of a three-stage cognitive gradient in task execution, namely "multi-perspective input, followed by forced stance output, and concluding with metalinguistic reflection." The study suggests that through stance-switching tasks and a dynamic feedback mechanism, the complexity of student arguments and critical thinking performance can be enhanced over time, providing a systematic solution to the homogenization dilemma in college entrance examination writing.