Analysis of cognitive skills in English as Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks in Rwandan upper primary schools

Abstract This qualitative study investigates the cognitive processes within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks at the upper primary levels in Rwandan schools. Researchers used the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBT) to analyze the levels of 1,531 cognitive activities within the textbooks. This unique research investigates alignment between Rwanda’s intended competency-based curriculum (CBC) policy and the enacted cognitive demands of EFL textbooks across upper primary levels. Results revealed that most cognitive activities focused on lower-order thinking skills (82.46%), compared with higher-order thinking skills (17.54%). These findings highlight a gap between curricular intent and actual cognitive opportunity, underscoring the need for a more balanced distribution of cognitive skill development when creating and selecting textbooks. This study contributes to international curriculum inquiry by providing empirical evidence from a postcolonial African context and other EFL settings and offering stakeholders in Rwanda and beyond a clearer pathway for ensuring curriculum materials reflect the high cognitive demands of a knowledge-based economy.