To test the predictive power of the SSARC (stabilize, simplify, automatize, reconstruct, and complexify) model of pedagogic task sequencing in second language (L2) writing development, the present study explores the performance of written decision-making tasks with varied levels of cognitive complexity in a simple-to-complex sequence in comparison to complex-to-simple and individual task performance sequences over time. The participants, 100 advanced-mid learners of English as a second language (ESL), who were divided into three groups completed writing tasks either (1) in a simple-to-complex sequence, (2) in a complex-to-simple sequence, or (3) at one level of complexity (i.e. simple, medium, or complex task versions). Their written production was analysed for syntactic complexity, accuracy, lexical complexity, and fluency (CALF). Quantitative analyses found that the simple-to-complex group produced more syntactically complex and accurate essays over time than the complex-to-simple group, although neither group’s progression was linear. When the two sequencing conditions were compared to the individual task performance condition, the results showed more improvement in CALF in both sequencing groups than in the individual performance group over time, with more and steadier growth in the simple-to-complex condition. These findings support the SSARC model and expand current understandings of the relationship between cognitive task complexity and L2 writing development under different task sequencing conditions, with implications for L2 writing pedagogy.

为了测试第二语言 (L2) 写作发展中教学任务排序的 SSARC（稳定、简化、自动化、重构和复杂化）模型的预测能力，本研究探讨了具有不同水平的书面决策任务的性能。与随时间推移的复杂到简单和单个任务执行序列相比，从简单到复杂序列中的认知复杂性。参与者是 100 名英语作为第二语言 (ESL) 的中高级学习者，他们被分为三组，分别完成了（1）从简单到复杂的顺序，（2）从复杂到简单的顺序序列，或 (3) 在一个复杂级别（即简单、中等或复杂的任务版本）。他们的书面作品被分析为句法复杂性、准确性、词汇复杂性和流畅性（CALF）。定量分析发现，随着时间的推移，从简单到复杂的组比从复杂到简单的组产生了更多语法复杂和准确的文章，尽管两组的进展都是线性的。当将两种排序条件与个人任务执行条件进行比较时，结果显示随着时间的推移，两个排序组的 CALF 比单独执行组的改善更多，在简单到复杂的条件下增长更多且更稳定。这些发现支持 SSARC 模型，并扩展了当前对不同任务排序条件下认知任务复杂性与二语写作发展之间关系的理解，并对二语写作教学法产生影响。