Levels of reading comprehension questions in EFL classroom: higher order thinking skills (HOTS)

This paper presents the discussion on the teachers' reading comprehension questions in EFL classrooms of Senior High Schools in Padang. Higher-order thinking skill has become a significant theme in education. However, to what extent EFL teachers have applied it, does not clearly define yet. In the English language learning process, the students are encouraged to think critically. Therefore, teachers are required to provide the students with higher-order thinking skill, especially in reading comprehension. The higher level of reading comprehension questions can facilitate students' higher-order thinking skills. Many studies have revealed that the level of teacher questions determines the level of thinking of students. However, until now, most of the questions asked by teachers in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) were low-level questions. Those questions were not as effective as high-level questions in helping students develop high-level thinking skills. Therefore, EFL teachers should ask different types of questions at each grade level.