Higher Order Thinking Skills (Bloom 'S Revised Taxonomy) : Advice Sheet

S306 Higher Order Thinking Skills
(Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy)

PAGE 1
ADVICE SHEET
Summary
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are types of learning that require higher cognitive
processing and have more generalised benefits than Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS).
Bloom’s Taxonomy sets out cognitive processes from lower to higher order skills and can be
used to think about creating opportunities to challenges learners at all levels. This advice sheet
is aimed at lead teachers and teachers at all phases of education. The sheet outlines the
different types of thinking skills and the kinds of questions and tasks that can be used for
learners at each skill level.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are the cognitive processes that require thinking at a more
complex, higher level. High potential learners often master the lower order tasks very quickly and
need to think more deeply about topics. Planning a higher order thinking task or question into
every lesson is a good way of ensuring all learners are given the opportunity to think at a high
level, whilst ensuring the lesson interests and challenges high potential learners.
Bloom’s (Revised) Taxonomy is a classification of learning objectives, which includes objectives

that are perceived to be higher order and lower order. Learning at the higher levels is dependent
on having knowledge and skills at lower levels. Thinking at the higher levels is also often called
critical thinking and creative thinking.
There are six levels in the taxonomy, moving from the lowest order processes (Remembering) to
the highest (Creating):
© Potential Plus UK 2018-2021 Charity No: 313182

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ADVICE SHEET
Remembering – Level 1 – Lower Order Thinking Skill

Retrieving, recalling or recognising knowledge from memory, used to produce definitions, facts or
lists, or recite or retrieve material.
Understanding – Level 2 – Lower Order Thinking Skill

Demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organising, comparing, translating,
interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating main ideas.
Applying – Level 3 – Middle Order Thinking Skill

Using new knowledge in new situations by applying acquired facts, techniques and rules in a
different way.
Analysing – Level 4 – Higher Order Thinking Skill (Critical Thinking)

Examining and breaking information down into parts by identifying motives or causes. Making
inferences and find evidence to support generalisations.
Evaluating – Level 5 – Higher Order Thinking Skill (Critical Thinking)

Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas or
quality of work based on a set of criteria.
Creating – Level 6 – Higher Order Thinking Skill (Creative Thinking)

Compiling information in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing
alternative solutions, through generating, planning or producing.
Remembering and Understanding are lower order thinking levels that depend upon the learner’s
ability to pick up information and make sense of it. Some learners take longer to go through these
stages, and others are able to master these quite quickly (and in some cases may already know
and understand the information being presented.
Applying the knowledge depends on at least some Understanding being in place and helps to
cement a learner’s comprehension of the subject. Once a learner can apply the knowledge, he/she
is ready to think in a more complex way about the topic and to start thinking critically and
creatively.
Employing critical thinking skills means either Analysing or Evaluating the topic matter. Creative
thinking skills are used through Creating. Each of these kinds of thinking allows the learner to use
more cognitive processes, allows thinking to be more divergent, offers more challenge and will
have more benefit for the learner.

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ADVICE SHEET
The table below shows some of the verbs used to ask questions of learners at each of the different
levels of the taxonomy, along with example tasks and example questions:
Thinking Skill Verbs Used Example Tasks Example Questions

Remembering Name List How many…?
Find Timeline Can you name…?
Write Facts What is…?
Tell Recitation True or false?
List Quiz Who was it that…?
State Flashcards What happened next?
Recite Bullet points
Understanding Describe Summary Can you tell me in your
Summarise Explanation own words?
Discuss Mind map Can you write a brief
Outline Presentation outline?
Predict Timeline Who was the key
Interpret Scrapbook character?
Explain Examples Why did… happen?
Applying Demonstrate Illustration Do you know another
Solve Project instance when…?
Use Roleplay Can you develop a set of
Apply Map instructions?
Illustrate Diorama What questions would
Construct Leaflet you ask of…?
Examine Newspaper Article How can…change?
Analysing Categorise Diary How is this similar to…?
Analyse Collection Compare and contrast?
Classify Illustration What are other possible
Compare Questionnaire outcomes?
Contrast Flow-chart Distinguish between?
Separate Model
Relate Diagram
Evaluating Judge Survey Judge the value of…?
Critique Graph Do you think…is a good
Justify Report or bad thing?
Debate List criteria How would you feel if?
Recommend Debate How effective are…?
Prioritise Essay
Experiment Written case
Creating Design Story Can you design a…?
Create Poem How many ways can
Plan Play you…?
Construct Song What would happen if…?
Invent Animation Can you see a possible
Devise Invention solution to..?
Make Website

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ADVICE SHEET
Further Information
S307 Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy This resource suggests question cues and tasks at every level
Resource of thinking skills in Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. It can be used
by class teachers to set tasks and questions at the different
levels of thinking.
S308 Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy This resource shows how tasks might be set using digital
Resource technology at every level of thinking skills in Bloom's Revised
Taxonomy. It can be used by class teachers to set digital
tasks and homework at the different levels of thinking.
Teaching Thinking Pocketbook by Anne Takes 5 types of thinking that learners typically struggle with
De A'Echevarria and Ian Patience and matches then with 'thinking tools'.
Potential Plus UK Date of Issue: June 2018

Potential Plus UK Planned Review Date: June 2021
To give feedback on this advice sheet, please go to: www.surveymonkey.com/s/advicesheetfeedback


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S306 Higher Order Thinking Skills

(Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy)

Bloom’s (Revised) Taxonomy is a classification of learning objectives, which includes objectives

© Potential Plus UK 2018-2021 Charity No: 313182

Remembering – Level 1 – Lower Order Thinking Skill

Understanding – Level 2 – Lower Order Thinking Skill

Applying – Level 3 – Middle Order Thinking Skill

Analysing – Level 4 – Higher Order Thinking Skill (Critical Thinking)

Evaluating – Level 5 – Higher Order Thinking Skill (Critical Thinking)

Creating – Level 6 – Higher Order Thinking Skill (Creative Thinking)

© Potential Plus UK 2018-2021 Charity No: 313182

Thinking Skill Verbs Used Example Tasks Example Questions

© Potential Plus UK 2018-2021 Charity No: 313182

Potential Plus UK Date of Issue: June 2018

To give feedback on this advice sheet, please go to: www.surveymonkey.com/s/advicesheetfeedback

© Potential Plus UK 2018-2021 Charity No: 313182

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