Incorporating Higher Order Thinking Skills in Developing Reading Materials and Tasks for EFL Learners

Abstract

This study aims to develop English Reading Materials with orientation to Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) for EFL learners. This is motivated by the fact that knowledge and skill learned through higher-order thinking processes are remembered longer and more clearly than the information that is processed through lower-order thinking processes. Strengthening of familiarizing the development of high-order thingking skills (HOTS) is an aspect of transforming the 21 century learning. Some reading materials for higher education still tend to be oriented towards developing Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS) by emphasizing the remembering and understanding skills. Those reading materials have not oriented towards developing HOTS aspects, such as: analyzing, evaluating and creating skills. Researcher conducted need analysis to get some basic information. This information was needed to support the designing process of reading materials. Questionnaire was given to the respondents. The questionnaires includes the description of the students, target needs, and learning needs for English department students. After conducting the need survey, the result of the questionnaires was analyzed by the researcher. The results of the study are as follows. First, the developed materials consist of 4 units, each unit consists of three lessons, each of which comprises 8-9 activities. Second, the development procedure is done by prioritizing the needs analysis conducted in the field. Third, the reading materials have been adjusted to the learning outcome as drafted in each unit. Fourth, the outline of the materials development use (uses) reading cycle. Fifth, the activities developed in reading materials have inserted HOTS.