Higher order thinking skills are referred to in many of the new education and economic papers but what are they ? This diagram explains it and really shows that if we are taking an enterprising approach to learning - making it real, relevant and pupil centred higher order thinking skills will be developed through the process. .

1. Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Planning Framework
Higher-order thinking
Actions Products Learning Activities
Creating Designing Film
Constructing Story
(Putting together ideas Planning Project
or elements to develop Producing Plan
an original idea or Inventing New game
engage in creative Devising Song
thinking). Making Media product
Advertisement
Painting
Evaluating Checking Debate
Hypothesising Panel
(Judging the value of Critiquing Report
ideas, materials and Experimenting Evaluation
methods by developing Judging Investigation
and applying standards Testing Verdict
and criteria). Detecting Conclusion
Monitoring Persuasive
speech
Analysing Comparing Survey
Organising Database
(Breaking information Deconstructing Mobile
down into its component Attributing Abstract
elements). Outlining Report
Structuring Graph
Integrating Spreadsheet
Checklist
Chart
Outline
Lower-order thinking
Applying Implementing Illustration
Carrying out Simulation
(Using strategies, Using Sculpture
concepts, principles and Executing Demonstration
theories in new Presentation
situations). Interview
Performance
Diary
Journal
Understanding Interpreting Recitation
Exemplifying Summary
(Understanding of given Summarising Collection
information). Inferring Explanation
Paraphrasing Show and tell
Classifying Example
Comparing Quiz
Explaining List
Label
Outline
Remembering Recognising Quiz
Listing Definition
(Recall or recognition of Describing Fact
specific information). Identifying Worksheet
Retrieving Test
Naming Label
Locating List
Finding Workbook
Reproduction