An Analysis of Thinking Level Questions in the textbook,

“Life” Elementary Student’s book and Workbook(level A1-A2)

Ma Shwe Eaindaray Sint

2M.A.eng-12

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 Introduction
Textbook
o repeat the visible heart of any ELT program. (Sheldon,1998,p237)
o the main sources - convey the knowledge and information. (Ahour and
Ahadi,2012,p176)
o promote learners depending on their materials, a kind of support for both teachers
and learners and provide students a kind of consistency. (Zohrabi, Sabouri and
Kheramand,2014)
- related to materials, information, way of instructions and other contexts.
- Exercises on assessment tasks are also included in the textbook.
 Textbook is a kind of material that plays a very important role in teaching
and learning of a second language and a foreign language for students.
The aim of textbook is to develop the learners’ abilities of using higher and
lower order thinking skills by doing the exercises in the textbook.
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 Questions and Instructions
Dallat (2013) - important in promoting discussion, interaction and critical thinking
during teaching.
o depend on the main purpose of the instructional method.
o to use thinking skills.
o to promote interactivity and higher forms of thinking skills.
o In cognitive level, students require to know various types of questions in the textbook.
o use with a variety of taxonomies in order to expert the levels of cognitive domain.
Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)
- three domain of learning: Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor domains.
- six categories of cognitive domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application
Analyzing, Synthesis and Evaluation.
- two levels of thinking skills in questions: Lower level (remember, understand, apply)
and Higher level questions (analyze, evaluate and create)
Anderson & Krathwohl (2001)
- a new version of the original Bloom’s Taxonomy.
- two-dimensional forms: Knowledge dimension and Cognitive Process dimension.
- Knowledge dimension: Factual knowledge, Conceptual knowledge and Procedural
knowledge.
- Cognitive process dimension: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate and
Create.
(The students’ level of thinking improve not only in thinking skills but also in
educational knowledge.)
 Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is a more reliable area of cognitive psychology,
curriculum, and instruction, and educational testing, measurement, and
assessment from the described textbooks and thinking skills.

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 Aim
Objectives
 To find out questions and instructions
in the Prescribed English Textbook for
1st year non-English specialization students.

 To analyze the levels of thinking skills

reflected by those questions and instructions
in the prescribed textbook; LIfe(level A1-A2)
 To investigate the most/least frequently used
level of thinking skills the author used in
creating the questions and instructions in the
textbook.

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 Literature Review

A brief account of the Textbook, Life (level A1-A2)

Six-level integrated-skills series with grammar and vocabulary
two languages: American English and British English.
The levels :Beginner(A 1+), Elementary(A2+), Pre-Intermediate(B1+),
Intermediate(B2), Upper- Intermediate(B2+) and Advanced(C1) in 2 nd Edition.
contains Student’s book, Workbook, Teacher book, Audio files, Video files, Tests,
Communicative Worksheets, Extra Practice Activities and Scripts.
Through stunning National Geographic content, video and engaging topics, Life
inspires a generation of informed decision-markers.
Slogan - “Connect with the world and bring your classroom to life”

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 The Authors
John Hughes
• an award-winning ELT author with thirty years’ experience of teaching and teacher
training.
• worked with learners and teachers and a well-known conference presenter.
• For National Geographic Learning, he is an author on the course series Life, World
English,3rd Edition World Link,4th Edition, Success with Business, and Total Business.
Paul Dummett
• teacher and writer based in Oxford, UK, where ran his own school from 1996 to 2006.
• for his interests - found a natural home at National Geographic Learning, co-authoring
titles such as Life and Keynote and acting as a Course Consultant for Look, a several-
level primary series.
Helen Stephenson
• She first taught business English in the 1980s.
• written in-house training courses and a course for upper-secondary students.
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 Theoretical Background
The theory - the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy by Anderson and Krathwohl (2001),
educational psychologists at the University of Chicago.
Six levels of the Original Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Judge the value of material for a
given purpose.
Evaluation
Put parts together to form a coherent or
Synthesis unique new hole.
Break down or distinguish the parts of
Analysis
material into its components.
Application Use learned material in new and concrete
situations.
Comprehension Grasp or construct meaning from material.
Knowledge Remembering of previously learned material.

(Source: cehdclass.gmu.edu) 8
 In the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, the subcategories of cognitive domains - transformed
into verbs. Remembering, Understanding and Applying – LOTS and Analyzing, Evaluating
and Creating - HOTS.
1956 2001

Evaluation Create
Synthesis Evaluate

Analysis Analyze
Noun to Verb Form Apply
Application

Comprehension Understand

Knowledge Remember

(Source: Diagram 1.1. Wilson, Leslie O. 2001) 9

Knowledge dimension has 4 kinds of knowledge.

1. Factual Knowledge – essential facts, terminology, elements to solve a problem in it.

2. Conceptual Knowledge – knowledge of classifications, principles, generalizations,
theories, models, or structures pertinent to a particular disciplinary area.
3. Procedural Knowledge – information, methods of inquiry, specific skills, techniques and
particular methodologies to do something specific.
4. Metacognitive Knowledge – the awareness of one’s own cognition and particular
cognitive processes.
Cognitive Process Dimension describes 6 levels of thinking skills:

a) Remembering – Retrieving, recalling knowledge to a previous time.

b) Understanding – Constructing meaning from written messages.
c) Applying –Using a procedure through implementing.
d) Analyzing – Breaking concepts into parts, determining how parts relate to one another.
e) Evaluating – Making judgments based on criteria and standards.
f) Creating – Putting elements to form a coherent whole.
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 Some Action Verbs of Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

Choose Abstract Apply Advertise Agree Adapt

Find Calculate Analyze Assume Assess Build
List Classify Categorize Coherent Check Compose
Match Define Compare Contrast Criticize Design
Recall Discuss Differentiate Distinguish Decide Elaborate
Reproduce Explain Discover Divide Evaluate Generate
Select Outline Identify Examine Interpret Imagine
Tell Paraphrase Implement Integrate Mark Originate
When Predict Plan Separate Monitor Propose
Write Restate Use Survey Prove Suppose

(source: Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, D.R., 2001) 11

 Related Researches(1 & 2)
Topic - Cognitive levels of Questions used Topic - A content analysis of the reading and
by Iranian EFL teachers in Advanced listening activities in the EFL textbook of
Reading Comprehension Test Master Class
Researcher - Narjess Khorsand (2009) Researcher - Ibtihal Asslay, Abdul Kareen
Material - 21 teachers and generated 215 Igbaria(2014)
questions Material - the textbook Master Class for
Methodology - mixed-method (qualitative 10th grade students studying English at the
and quantitative) 5-unit level
Theory - Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956) Theory - Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)
Findings - The most dominant question type Findings - 114 activities emphasized levels
that tests Knowledge(54.21%). The of cognition representing lower order
teachers’ questions were aimed at thinking skills and only 59 activities
Synthesis(2.33%), Application (1.86%), emphasized the three higher order thinking
Evaluation(1.39%) and Analysis (0.47%). skills.
95.81% Iranian EFL teacher-generated Methodology - Content analysis (mixed-
questions were aimed at the lowest three method)
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levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
 Related Researches(3 &4)
Topic - Cognitive levels in Saudi EFL
Topic - An analysis of thinking order of teacher’ and textbook questions
reading comprehension questions in
English textbook for young foresters of Researcher - Abdulaziz Ibraham S. Alnofal
Forestry Vocational School of Samarinda (2018)
Researcher - Muchlis (2015) Material - reading and writing
textbook(Unlock, Reading and Writing 1) for
Theory - Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956) 1st year E-major students at IMSIU
Methodology - content analysis method Theory - Revised Bloom’s
Material - reading comprehension Taxonomy(Anderson et al.,2001)
question in English textbook Findings - The majority of 1st year teacher’s
Findings -. The most frequently appeared questions are lower-cognitive levels. There
were Knowledge and Comprehension was a tendency towards lower- level
level. Most of questions dominated lower cognitive skills.
order thinking level. Methodology - Descriptive and inferential
analysis.
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 Related Researches(5 & 6)
Topic - Analysis of instructional questions Topic - Comparative Study of Higher-order
in an English textbook for senior high thinking in EGP textbooks versus ESP
schools textbooks
Researcher - Zaiturrahmi Usman Kasim Researcher - Mahmoud Salimi, Ali Moradi
Teuku Zulfikar(2017) (2022)
Material - all 9 chapters of the textbook, Material - the activities of the odd-
227 instructional questions for listening, numbered lessons in 12 ESP textbooks and
reading, speaking and writing activities. 4 EGP book series
Theory - Bloom’s Taxonomy(1956) Methodology - quantitative content
analysis method
Findings - The textbook focused on the
lowest level of cognitive domain Theory - Anderson’s (2001)
Knowledge and LOTS. Listening activities Findings - HOTS were more dominant in
had the lowest frequencies and Speaking ESP textbooks. LOTS were more
and Writing - the average frequencies. dominant in EGP textbooks. Therefore,
Reading - the highest frequency of activity the ESP books are more effective to
provided by the authors of the textbook. promote HOTS than EGP textbooks. 14
 Related Researches(7 & 8)
Topic - Insufficient higher-order thinking Topic - Thinking level in Christian
skill in reading comprehension exercises of publishers’ elementary reading textbook
an English language textbook questions
Researchers - Gracia Pufri Sang Dewayani & Researcher - Heather A Lee (2010)
Ngadiso & Teguh Sarosa (2020)
Material- 5th grade teacher’s editions of
Material - all the essay questions of the reading textbooks( A Beka Book and Bob
reading exercises for 12th grade students Jones University Press )
Methodology - descriptive analytical Theory - Anderson et al.(2001)
method(content analysis)
Findings - The Beka book - 57.6% LOTS
Theory - Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy(2001) and 42.4% HOTS questions. The Bob Jones
Findings - Analyzing skill and Evaluating University Press - 45.8% LOTS and 54.2%
skill include but Creating skill is not found. HOTS questions. In LOTS, Remember
The textbook only assesses topic, explicit skills questions included and Understand,
meaning and implicit meaning indicators. Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and Create skills
Students will not achieve HOTS and reading questions included in HOTS.
skill excellently if they only practice
exercises from this textbook. 15
 Related Researches(9 & 10)
Topic - An Evaluation of the English Topic - An Evaluation of Reading
textbook Global ,level 2/B1 from Teachers’ Comprehension Questions in Global series
perceptions through Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
Researcher - Aung Kyaw Hein(2018) Researcher - Wai Yan Min Oo (2017)
Material - English textbook Global, Level Material - 465 questions of reading
2/B1 for undergraduate E-major students in comprehension sections
Myanmar Methodology - mixed-method
Methodology - mixed-method Theory - Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy(2001)
Theory - Ian McGrath(2016) Findings - The most dominant questions are
Findings - The overall organization of the testing for Understanding and for
textbook and design, contents, units, Remembering while Applying is the least
lessons are satisfactory for teachers. common. For knowledge dimension , factual
However, the course not give enough knowledge and Procedural knowledge are
knowledge and information about the employed extensively in the lowest level
culture. knowledge.
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 Research Methodology
 The data - from the textbook, Life Student’s book plus
Workbook (elementary) by John Hughrs, Paul Dummettt
and Helen Stephenson.
 Theory- Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001)
 Both qualitative and quantitative methods
 A checklist was used to analyzed the six categories of
cognitive levels.
• the questions and instructions : Listening, Vocabulary,
Grammar, Pronunciation and Speaking sections - each
unit
• action verbs - based on Revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy(2001).
• the questions and instructions - compared under higher-
order thinking skills and lower-order thinking skills.
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 Data analysis and interpretation examples for Unit - 1

Sr. Action Lesson Category Question Levels of cognitive domain

No Verb No.
Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create

1 Find 1b 6 Grammar Q-1 

2 Match 1f 2 Vocabulary Q-2 

3 Complete 2 Grammar Q-3 

4 Check 2 Listening Q-4 

 Action verbs : Find, Match, Write, What, Use, Check and Make are the most frequently
used in Unit-1.
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Q -1 “Find five examples of possessive ’s and three possessive adjectives in the article.”(p-13,
Lesson 1b 6,Grammar)
To answer the question, students must remember the grammar usage of possessive ‘s and
possessive adjective. So, this instruction tests the level of Remembering skills of the students.
Q – 2 “Match the US phrases(1-5) with the metric phrases (a-e)that mean the same.”(p-19,
Lesson 1f 2,Vocabulary)
To answer the question, students must understand the connection between US phrases
(feet, miles..) and metric phrases(kilometers, centimeters..). So, This category of instruction
tests the level of Understanding skills of the students.
Q – 3 “Complete the conversation with ‘s, isn’t, are or aren’t.”(p-20,Lesson 2, Grammar)
To answer the question, students must be able to choose the correct one from the given
words .Therefore, this question tests the level of Applying skills of the students.
Q - 4 “Listen to someone talking about the photo. Check your answers.”(p-21,Lesson 2,
Listening)
To answer the question, students must be able to assess about the number of the things in
the photo. So, this instruction tests the level of Evaluating skills of the students.
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 Expected Outcomes

• According to related researches, students’ critical thinking skills are depended on

the texts.
• Questions and Instructions in reading comprehension sections are used both
HOTS and LOTS.
• This text is only used for non-English specialization students in some Universities
of Myanmar.
• In this level, the students tend to answer the questions by recognizing/recalling
knowledge from the previously learned information.
• According to the sample action verbs, this text can be expected to get LOTS
questions for students.
• In this research, remembering level of questions are the most frequent used.

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References
Abdelrahmam,M.S.H.B(2014). An Analysis of the 10th grade English language
textbook questions in Jordan based on the revised education of Bloom’s
Taxonomy in Journal of Education and Practice.
Alnofal, A.L.S(2018). Cognitive Levels in Saudi EFL Teachers’ and Textbook
Questions. Journ of Teaching and Research,Vol.9,No.4,pp.695-701, July 2018.
Anderson,L.W. and Krathwohl,D.R (Ed) (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning
Teaching and Assessing.
Asslay,I and Igbaria, A.K(2014).A Content Analysis of the reading and istening activities
in the EFL textbook of master class.Vol.3,No.2,2014.pp.24-38.
Bloom,B.S(1956). Taxonomy of Education Objectives, the classification of educational
goals, handbook 1:Cognitive Domain. New York: David Mckay Company.
Khorsand,N(2009). Cognitive level of questions used by Iran EFL teachers in Advanced
Reading Comprehension Tests. Master’s degree Iran.
Aung Kyaw Hein(2018). An Evaluation of the English textbook Global, Level 2/B1 from
Teachers’ Perceptions, Yadanabon University, Myanmar.
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References
Muchlis(2015). An Analysis of Thinking Order of Reading Comprehension
Questions In English Textbook for Young Fosters of Foestry Vocational School of
SAMARING. Journal Nalar Pendidikan, Vol.3,No.1.
Gracia Putri Sang Dewayani,Ngadiso & Teguh Sarosa(2020). Insufficient Higher-
Order Thinking Skill in reading comprehension exercises of an English
language textbook, Universitas Sebelas Maret,ELT Worldwide Vol7,No.2.
Zaiturrahmi,U.K.T.Z.(2017). Analysis of Instructional Questions in an English
Textbook for Senior High Schools, Syiah Kulala University.EFJ Vol 8, No.4.
Mahmoud Saliml & Ali Moradi(2022). Comparative Study of Higher-Order
Thinking in EGP textbooks Versus ESP textbooks, University of Qom, Journal
of English language Research 3,No.1.
Heather A Lee (2010). Thinking levels in Christian publishers’ elementary reading
textbook questions, Columba International University.
Wai Yan Min Oo(2017). AN Evaluation of reading comprehension questions in
Global series through Bloom’s Taxonomy, Yadanabon University, Myanmar.
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Thank You!

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