Applying Bloom's Taxonomy in Planning English Language Lessons for Upper Secondary School Students

Abstract

The article explores the practical application of Bloom’s taxonomy in planning English language lessons for upper secondary school students in the context of modern education reforms in Ukraine. It highlights the historical development of Bloom’s taxonomy, originally introduced by Benjamin Bloom and colleagues in 1956, and its revised version in 2001 by L. Anderson and D. Krathwohl, which emphasizes active learning and a strict hierarchy of cognitive processes subdivided into levels: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. The article reviews current research by international and Ukrainian scholars. These studies demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating Bloom’s taxonomy into English language teaching and the positive impact on students’ cognitive and communicative development. The authors present a detailed example of a lesson plan for teaching English to upper secondary students, structured according to Bloom’s taxonomy. This lesson plan is designed to develop students’ communication skills, critical thinking, and analytical abilities, moving from basic tasks like recalling vocabulary to advanced creative tasks such as writing a personal academic success guide. The study concludes that Bloom’s taxonomy is a valuable tool for formulating clear learning objectives and improving the quality of English language teaching. However, its implementation requires further methodological support and professional development for teachers. The authors see prospects for further research in a deeper analysis of the use of Bloom’s taxonomy in other aspects of foreign language learning (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) and in the integration of the taxonomy with other pedagogical technologies.

Key words: Bloom’s taxonomy; lesson planning; English language; upper secondary school; cognitive levels; critical thinking.