Bloom's Taxonomy is a hierarchical classification of cognitive processes used to write learning objectives, design tasks, and ensure instruction operates at appropriate levels of thinking. The original taxonomy was developed by Benjamin Bloom and colleagues (1956). The widely used revised version by Anderson & Krathwohl (2001) updated the categories, changed them from nouns to verbs, and added a knowledge dimension.
From lower-order to higher-order thinking:
| Level | Definition | Example verbs | ELT example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remember | Retrieve relevant knowledge from memory | List, name, recall, identify | List five linking words for contrast |
| Understand | Construct meaning from instructional messages | Explain, summarise, paraphrase, classify | Explain the difference between "however" and "although" |
| Apply | Use a procedure in a given situation | Use, demonstrate, implement, solve | Use cohesive devices to connect ideas in a paragraph |
| Analyse | Break material into parts and determine relationships | Compare, contrast, categorise, distinguish | Compare two model essays and identify differences in structure |
| Evaluate | Make judgments based on criteria | Justify, critique, assess, judge | Evaluate a peer's essay against the rubric |
| Create | Put elements together to form a coherent whole | Design, compose, produce, plan | Write an essay presenting and defending your own position |
The hierarchy is not absolute; some tasks involve multiple levels simultaneously, but it provides a practical framework for checking that instruction is not stuck at the lower levels.
Anderson & Krathwohl added a second axis, types of knowledge:
| Type | Description | ELT example |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Terminology, specific details | Vocabulary items, grammar rules |
| Conceptual | Categories, principles, theories | Understanding coherence as a text quality |
| Procedural | How to do something, methods, techniques | Steps for planning a Task 2 essay |
| Metacognitive | Awareness of one's own cognition | Knowing which reading strategies work best for you |
Crossing the cognitive process dimension with the knowledge dimension creates a taxonomy table, a 6×4 grid that can map any learning objective to a specific cell. This is particularly useful for backward design: define where you want learners to end up (e.g., "Apply procedural knowledge": use a writing process independently), then design instruction to get them there.
Bloom's taxonomy verbs make learning outcomes and lesson aims precise and assessable:
A well-designed lesson typically moves up the taxonomy:
The taxonomy helps ensure assessment tasks match the level of instruction. If students were taught to analyse essay structures, the test should not only ask them to remember structural labels.
Despite these limitations, the taxonomy remains the most widely used tool for aligning objectives, instruction, and assessment, the essence of backward design.