Bloom's Taxonomy
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.
The Revised Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001)
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.
The Knowledge Dimension
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.
Application in ELT
Writing learning objectives
Bloom's taxonomy verbs make learning outcomes and lesson aims precise and assessable:
- Vague: "Students will learn about cohesive devices"
- Bloom's-informed: "Students will identify cohesive devices in a model text (Analyse) and use them to improve coherence in their own writing (Apply/Create)"
Lesson and task design
A well-designed lesson typically moves up the taxonomy:
- Remember/Understand — Input stage: encounter and comprehend new language
- Apply — Controlled practice: use target language in guided tasks
- Analyse/Evaluate — Notice features of models, compare, assess quality
- Create — Freer production: produce original language for a communicative purpose
Assessment design
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.
Limitations
- Not all learning is hierarchical — Creative language use does not always require mastery of lower levels first; a beginner can create (compose a simple message) before they can analyse (examine text structure)
- Cognitive bias — The taxonomy focuses on cognition and neglects affective and social dimensions of learning
- Oversimplification — Real language tasks involve multiple cognitive levels simultaneously
- Cultural assumptions — The emphasis on critical thinking and individual creation reflects Western educational values
Despite these limitations, the taxonomy remains the most widely used tool for aligning objectives, instruction, and assessment — the essence of backward design.
Key References
- Anderson, L. W. & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.) (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Longman.
- Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals. David McKay.
- Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom's taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212–218.
See Also
- Learning Outcomes — Bloom's verbs make outcomes precise and assessable
- Lesson Aims — taxonomy verbs improve aim-writing
- Backward Design — the taxonomy supports alignment of objectives, instruction, and assessment