Effect of Instructions in Course Book Tasks on Promoting Higher-Order Thinking Skills

Abstract

As stakeholders of educational systems, teachers are urged to participate in social change through the implementation of critical thinking skills into the educational setting. English language teaching has primarily focused on critical thinking, particularly in the recent years. Therefore, teachers are required to examine their teaching materials to ensure that they meet the needs of the 21st century. This study investigates the extent of implemented higher-order thinking skills using revised Bloom’s taxonomy. It examines tasks in course books used at the College of Technological Studies at the Public Authority of Applied Education and Training in Kuwait. The course books examined are Tech Talk at the elementary, pre-intermediate, and intermediate levels. The findings of this study prove that most of the tasks in the sample chosen encourage students’ lower cognitive skills. Therefore, syllabus and material designers and teachers should include tasks that foster higher-order cognitive skills. The results are expected to serve as reference for direct language teachers when planning lessons in their course book adaptation and with curriculum development.