Practices in Integrating Higher-Order Thinking Skills in English 7 Quarterly Assessment

Developing the higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) of learners has been a key focus of current educational goals, aiming to foster students’ abilities to analyze, evaluate, and create beyond memorization. Despite this, Filipino learners have scored low in national and international assessments that measure critical and creative thinking. Furthermore, teacher-made assessments have been found to focus primarily on lower-order cognitive skills. This study analyzed fifteen Grade 7 English quarterly assessments using Bloom’s two-dimensional taxonomy and explored the practices and challenges encountered by fifteen English teachers in integrating HOTS. The objective was to design a suitable capacity-building program. Using a qualitative case study design, the study collected data from fifteen quarterly assessments and conducted semi-structured interviews with the respective teachers. Content analysis was employed to categorize the assessment items based on Bloom’s taxonomy, with frequency and percentage used to quantify HOTS integration. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s approach was used to analyze interview data and identify patterns in teacher practices and challenges. Findings revealed that assessments were largely dominated by the remember cognitive domain and factual knowledge. However, HOTS items were also present in most assessments, most frequently under the analyze cognitive domain and procedural knowledge. Assessments relied heavily on traditional modes, particularly multiple-choice questions. Teachers reported various practices to integrate HOTS, such as using competency-based tools, aligning items with instruction, and structuring questions from simple to complex. Challenges included difficulty in constructing authentic HOTS items, students’ low reading and thinking levels, and limited time. The study concluded that some participants have knowledge of creating HOTS items; however, they were more inclined to use traditional modes of assessment. Moreover, despite the different practices employed by the participants to integrate HOTS, notable challenges were still encountered.