What I am referring to is the hierarchy of Bloom’s Taxonomy. This is a framework through which teachers guide pupils to develop their cognitive thinking. This is one of the foundations of teacher training programmes. How many teachers have retained this knowledge? How many use it on a daily basis?

Benjamin Bloom, an Educational Psychologist, in 1956, classified educational behaviour in a way which is important for learning. He identified 6 levels within cognitive functioning. He drew a pyramid shape and divided it into 6 levels.  The bottom two levels were lower order thinking skills. The higher up the pyramid you went, the higher the levels of thinking skills required.

Think of it as a grid, with simple knowledge-based recall questions on the bottom line; Level One.  Then, building up with each layer, are increasingly challenging questions to test knowledge of a material or a topic. The higher the level of a question, the more brain power is generated by the child. The more the child generates brain power, the more complex and developed the child’s brain becomes.

Blooms Taxonomy is based on the concept that how we ask questions ensures more effective learning. He found that 95% of all test questions we ask children are at the lowest level of recall!  These questions are not bad – but using them all the time is.

Looking at the Pyramid in detail, let us begin by examining the lowest level.

Level 1 - Knowledge Questions

On the lowest rung of the pyramid we find knowledge questions. These questions require remembering of basic answers, memorising of perfect answers, recognising elements in diagrams and simple recall of information.  At this level, the type of words that teachers might use in their questions are the straight forward type:

*Who________________?

*What_______________?

*When_______________?

*Where______________?

*How________________?

*Describe___________ ?

In the box below are further verbs that represent activity on this lower level. Teachers need to look at these verbs to enable them to understand how a single word can change the thinking of the child. 

Verb List that represents intellectual activity on this level: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorise, name, order, recognise, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce state.

(Have a look at the exam paper that you have prepared for your pupil’s final exam. Do all your questions start with these words?)

Level 2 – Comprehension Questions

On the second rung of the pyramid we find the comprehension type questions. These require interpreting information, translating it from one medium to another, describing it in our own words and the organisation and selection of facts and ideas. These questions too come into the Lower Level of Thinking. When teachers reach this level of the pyramid they often use the following words:

*Retell in your own words.............?

*Who was the main character.......?

*What happened next...................?

*Can you give an example.............?

Remember that these two levels are the lowest level of recall. The demands on the pupil do not boost brain power and the pupil remains at one level of thinking, always.

Verb list that represents intellectual activity on this level: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognise, report, restate, review, select, translate.

Level 3 - Application

Level 3 is the level at which pupils rise into higher level thinking.  Level 3 is the lowest category for higher level thinking. This level is the problem solving level, where pupils apply information to produce a result. Pupils use facts, rules and principles, to come to their answer. 

Questions at this level might follow this pattern:

*How is ________ an example of ____________?

*How is ________ related to ________________?

*Why is ________ significant?

*Can you think of another time when ______?

Verb List that represents intellectual activity on this level: - apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatise, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.

Level 4 - Analysis

The key factor here is to sub-divide things and show how they are put together again; finding the underlying structure of a communication, identifying motive, separation of a whole into component parts.   Questions here might be modelled as such:

*What are the parts or the features of ___________?

*Classify _________ according to _________ .

*Outline _______ diagram ____________?

*How does ________ compare / contrast with _________?

*What evidence can you find for _________?

*If _________ happened ______ what would have been the result?

*Why did ______ change?

Verb examples that represent intellectual activity on this level: - analyse, appraise, calculate, categorise, compare, contrast, criticise, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, questions, test.

Level 5 - Synthesis

This level asks pupils to apply unique thinking, to create totally original ideas and imagine the same. It might mean creating a unique original product that may be verbal, or may be a physical object. It means the combination of ideas, to form a whole new idea.  Questions that teachers might ask at this level are:

*What would you predict/ infer from _____________?

*What ideas can you add _________________________?

*How would you create a new _____________________?

*What might have happened if you combined ______?

*What solutions would you suggest for _____________?

Verb examples that represent intellectual activity on this level: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organise, plan, prepare, propose, set up, write. 

Level 6 - Evaluation

This level deals with the highest level of cognitive thinking.  Making value decisions about issues, resolving controversies, or differences of opinion. This level contributes to the development of opinions, judgments and decision. Questions that teachers might ask at this level are:

*Do you agree ________________________?

*What do you think about ____________?

*What is the most important__________?

*Place the following in order of priority _________?

*How would you decide about __________________?

*What criteria would you use to assess__________?

Verb examples that represent intellectual activity on this level:  appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, and evaluate.

I would advise teachers to look at their test/examination papers and think about their own type of questions and whether their assessment can make their pupils better thinkers. Use the directive words from the various categories to help you guide pupils to understand/think at higher and higher levels as appropriate.

How we ask questions ensures more effective learning. Are you, as a teacher using higher level questions for your exams or in your classroom? The higher level the question is, the better the response from the child and the cognitive development of the child is increased. Don’t let’s leave our kids at the bottom level always. Ask yourself:  Am I leaving my pupils at the bottom of the cognitive pile?