Cognitive Level Analysis of Fiil Qira'ah Al-'Arabiyah Textbook Questions Using Bloom's Taxonomy Framework

Abstract

Assessment tasks play a crucial role in developing students' cognitive abilities, particularly in teaching Arabic reading skills. However, many Arabic language textbooks still focus predominantly on lower-order cognitive skills, thereby limiting learners' opportunities for critical and analytical thinking. This study aims to analyze the cognitive levels embedded in the assessment tasks of the textbook "Fi'l Qirā'at al-'Arabiyyah" using the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy framework. The study employed a descriptive qualitative method with a content analysis approach to examine all exercise types and assessment items in the textbook. The data were categorized into six cognitive levels: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. The findings indicate that most assessment tasks are concentrated in Lower-Order Thinking Skills (LOTS), specifically at the Remembering and Understanding levels. Meanwhile, only a small proportion of the tasks are at the Applying level, whereas Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)—namely Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating—are almost entirely absent. These results suggest that the textbook primarily fosters basic reading comprehension rather than higher-order cognitive skills. Consequently, integrating assessment tasks oriented toward higher-order thinking skills is essential to foster students' critical, analytical, and creative thinking in Arabic reading instruction.