Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Evaluate HOTS in the Tasks of the Chinese Grade 7 English Textbook

This study evaluates the cognitive demands of tasks in the Chinese Layman’s Edition Grade 7 English textbook using Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. The primary objective is to assess the distribution of lower-order thinking skills (LOTS) and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) across the textbook’s tasks. Six cognitive categories were identified through a content analysis of 224 tasks: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. The findings show that just 26.7% of activities concentrate on HOTS, such as Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating, whereas 73.3% of tasks concentrate on LOTS, especially in Understanding and Applying. This disparity implies that fundamental cognitive abilities are being overemphasized, which is preventing children from engaging in critical analysis, evaluation, and innovation. The study emphasizes the need for textbook changes that support students' cognitive growth and are in line with contemporary educational objectives by better integrating HOTS-oriented tasks. Recommendations for curriculum enhancement and instructional strategies are provided to better prepare students for real-world challenges through more complex cognitive engagement.