The Effectiveness of Using Bloom's Taxonomy to teach and assess Critical Thinking Skills in Secondary School

Abstract

Critical thinking has become an essential component of language education, particularly in developing learners' higher-order cognitive abilities. This study examines the applicability of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy, proposed by Anderson and Krathwohl (2001), as a theoretical framework for fostering and assessing critical thinking skills among young Moroccan learners of English in secondary schools. The revised taxonomy classifies cognitive processes into lower-order thinking skills (remembering, understanding, and applying) and higher-order thinking skills (analysing, evaluating, and creating), providing educators with a practical framework for classroom instruction and assessment. Although scholars have identified limitations in Bloom's Taxonomy, arguing that it does not fully capture the complexity of critical thinking, it remains one of the most widely adopted educational frameworks due to its clarity, simplicity, and instructional value. Drawing on previous literature, this study argues that the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy offers an effective and accessible model for integrating critical thinking into English language teaching for young learners. The paper further highlights the relationship between Bloom's higher-order cognitive processes and critical thinking, as recognised by leading theorists, while acknowledging the taxonomy's conceptual limitations. The findings support the continued use of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy as a valuable pedagogical tool for promoting critical thinking in Moroccan EFL classrooms.