diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb
index 172026d150..f36df4a444 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb
@@ -16,19 +16,6 @@ module ActiveRecord
       include TimeZoneConversion
       include Dirty
       include Serialization
-
-      # Returns the value of the attribute identified by <tt>attr_name</tt> after it has been typecast (for example,
-      # "2004-12-12" in a data column is cast to a date object, like Date.new(2004, 12, 12)).
-      # (Alias for the protected read_attribute method).
-      def [](attr_name)
-        read_attribute(attr_name)
-      end
-
-      # Updates the attribute identified by <tt>attr_name</tt> with the specified +value+.
-      # (Alias for the protected write_attribute method).
-      def []=(attr_name, value)
-        write_attribute(attr_name, value)
-      end
     end
 
     module ClassMethods
@@ -192,6 +179,19 @@ module ActiveRecord
       self.class.columns_hash[name.to_s]
     end
 
+    # Returns the value of the attribute identified by <tt>attr_name</tt> after it has been typecast (for example,
+    # "2004-12-12" in a data column is cast to a date object, like Date.new(2004, 12, 12)).
+    # (Alias for the protected read_attribute method).
+    def [](attr_name)
+      read_attribute(attr_name)
+    end
+
+    # Updates the attribute identified by <tt>attr_name</tt> with the specified +value+.
+    # (Alias for the protected write_attribute method).
+    def []=(attr_name, value)
+      write_attribute(attr_name, value)
+    end
+
     protected
 
     def clone_attributes(reader_method = :read_attribute, attributes = {})