Thanksgiving Day Special!

Thanksgiving!

Today we will review the 96Qs (50, 53, 68, 69, 70) and the new 100Q (10, 58, 59, 87, 100) related to Thanksgiving.
Handouts:

1. Thanksgiving mp3
2. Q50 and 53 Class Handout
3. Q68-70 Class Handout
4. Thanksgiving Quiz: USCIS 96Qs & new 100Qs
5. Thanksgiving Quiz Answers (Qs with answers--perfect for practice)
6. Thanksgiving Cloze Essay

Dictation:

1. All people want to be free.
2. Many people come to America for freedom.

There are many links listed on the handouts. Of special interest are

ELCivics.com: Thanksgiving

ELCivics.com: The 13 Original Colonies

ELCivics.com: American Indian Tribes

ESLPodcast 91 – Thanksgiving

HeadsUp English: Thanksgiving

TimePage: 13 Original Colonies Time Line

VOANews: Thanksgiving Day: Filled With Family Traditions and, Oh Yes, Food

VOANews: American History Series: A Clash of Cultures in the New World

Not on the handouts, but still good practice:

1. Thanksgiving Quiz 1 - Thanksgiving in the USA (Charles Kelly) 35 medium to difficult multiple-choice questions
2. Thanksgiving Quiz 2 - The First Thanksgiving in America (Charles Kelly) 30 medium to difficult multiple-choice questions
3. Thanksgiving Quiz 3 - How Thanksgiving Becomes a National Holiday in the USA (Charles Kelly) 10 medium to difficult multiple-choice questions

VOANews: 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Wall

Last night, I listened to the VOA's Names Are Read to Mark 25th Anniversary of Vietnam Veterans Wall. All of a sudden I thought, "I wonder what happened to my POW/MIA?".

When I was freshman in high school, the Viet Nam war was coming to the end. A classmate, Molly Olds, who was an "army brat", convinced me, a Catholic "peacenik", to wear a POW/MIA memorial bracelet. The name on my bracelet: Richard R. Perricone.

I never knew what happened to this POW, so I "googled" Perricone. There he was on the POW Network--free and alive--living in New York with his wife. Wow! I hope he is in Washington DC this weekend with his fellow vets. I hope he knows peace.

The VOA story also brings to mind one of my students, Nguyen Kiem Long, formerly of the South Viet Nam Air Force and the Milpitas Adult School Senior ESL Class. He is currently in New York attending to family business, and I and his classmates miss him so much. He is a living example of a free and prosperous Viet Nam.

I also honor Do Ngoc Xuan, a farmer forced to flee the South and join the army. After working the night shift, he comes to the Senior ESL class every day in preparation for US Citizenship--the ticket to freedom for his relatives still in Viet Nam. His goal is shared not only by the Vietnamese students at our school, but by the immigrant communty at large.

On Veterans Day, let us remember the US service men and women, and our allied commrade-in-arms, fighting for the freedom of their own country.

Veterans Day and USCitizenPod N-400 Military Wikispace

My church, St Joseph's Cathedral, is located in the heart of downtown San Jose. As I was coming out of church this morning, I looked down the street towards the Plaza de Cesar Chavez. There were two fire trucks on either side of the street with their ladders fully extended skyward. Strung between the ladders was the largest American flag I have ever seen! Wow, it was amazing! Volunteers, city workers, and police were busily preparing the streets for the Veterans Day parade scheduled for later in the day.

I have assembled some podcasts and audio clips related to the N-400 Section 10 Part F (Military) and G (Selective Service) at US CitizenPod N-400 Military Wikispace. The mp3s are appropriate for Veterans Day and Memorial Day. The audio stories from NPR.org focus on the immigrant contributions to the US Military.

When you say "veteran" or "soldier," the words "grandmother, reservist, and anniversary" usually don't come to mind. Here is a story and video from the SJ Mercury News that shows a different veteran's face:
Capt. Susan Max comes home from Iraq to celebrate her 35th wedding anniversary
[Video].

Angela Tirado sings a Star-Spangled Welcome to Citizenship

Star-spangled Welcome to Citizenship: Volunteer Leads Anthem At Campbell Ceremonies
By L.A. Chung, Mercury News 11/10/2007 [Video]

Angela Tirado has been singing the National Anthem for naturalization ceremonies since March 2006 at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell, Calif.

A beautiful, inspiring story! This is the woman who leads my students in the Star Spangled Banner at their Oath Ceremony.

Vietnamese 100 Citizenship Questions: Những Câu Hỏi Mới Trong Kỳ Thi Quốc Tịch Hoa Kỳ

Here is a Vietnamese/English translation of the new 100 questions

USCIS.gov 100Qs--Vietnamese (added 9/11/2012) 
Các Câu Hỏi Được Gọi là Điều Khoản Miễn Trừ 65/20 (added 1/14/2013)
SPL.org, SFPL.org100Qs--Vietnamese / English  (added 2/25/2012)

(updated 01/14/2013)

Spanish 100 Questions: El nuevo examen de ciudadanía: 100 preguntas (espanol)

QR for PDF

QR for Page

USCIS en Espanol

• USCIS.gov/es: Sitio web oficial del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional
• USCIS: Compas Blog http://blog-es.uscis.gov/
• USCIS: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/uscis.es
• USCIS Recursos para la naturalización:
• Recursos: https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/recursos-para-la-naturalizacion
• Spanish Resources https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/other-languages/spanish-resources
• USCIS Civics Practice https://my.uscis.gov/prep/test/civics/view?locale=es
• USCIS Ciudadanía Entrevista y Examen - #Español Subtítulos (video) https://youtu.be/i3v6iSVxmwM (09/08/2017) 
• GobiernoUSA.gov: Ciudadanía y naturalización https://gobierno.usa.gov/naturalizacion

Examen de Ciudadania Americana

• ·         USCIS Spanish resources http://goo.gl/GZ1trj
• ·         USCIS: Preguntas de educación cívica del Examen de Naturalización http://goo.gl/Enbyzi
• ·         USCIS: Educación Cívica: Preguntas para la Exención 65/20 https://goo.gl/ip40i5
• ·         USCIS.gov 100Qs--Spanish .mp3 http://goo.gl/5YQCMn  
• ·         USCIS.gov 100QS--Spanish red flashcards http://goo.gl/AzBgTp 
• ·         USCIS.gov100Qs--Spanish white flashcards http://goo.gl/UbmKlG  
• ·         Unavision.com 100Qs--Spanish http://goo.gl/zUyXE3 
• ·         SPL.org, SFPL.org 100Qs--Spanish / English http://goo.gl/wDWqzn 
• ·         American Dream: Examen de Ciudadanía Americana 2016 https://youtu.be/eb3H_a4dfms 
• ·         Richard Lloyd: Examen de Naturalización Prueba completa  https://youtu.be/dNdBot94lPU 
• ·         Telemundo: Examen de ciudadanía en español e inglés http://goo.gl/RQKppY  
• ·         White Eagle: Examen De Ciudadania Americana 2016 https://youtu.be/Sg5klxN4Czo

Información sobre el proceso de naturalización para convertirse en ciudadano.

• American Dream: COMO LLENAR EL FORMULARIO N-400 / SOLICITUD DE CIUDADANIA (video)
• https://youtu.be/WinPGCP1mTU
• American Dream: DOCUMENTOS A ENVIAR CON FORMULARIO N-400 (video)
• https://youtu.be/932bn75LXHo
• Citizenship Study Guide: Prueba de Ciudadanía Americana
• http://www.citizenshipstudyguide.com/member/citizenship-test-questions-quiz-in-spanish.php
• HIAS: USCIS M-638 Quick Civics Lessons English/Spanish
• http://www.hias.org/sites/default/files/spanish_civics_dcp_061314.pdf
• iAmerica: Guía de la Ciudadanía
• http://action.iamerica.org/page/-/2016/Workbooks/Citizenship%20Workbook%20SPA%202016.pdf
• ILRC: Annotated N-400 in Spanish
• http://www.ilrc.org/files/documents/n-400-2016-_spanish_translation.pdf
• Ya Es Hora: Guia Para La Ciudadania
• http://ciudadania.yaeshora.info/admin/documents/files/NatzGuide_Spanish-2-15-11.pdf/

Recursos de la Ciudadanía en la Biblioteca

• ·         SCCL: Recursos de Ciudadanía en Español
• o   Bibliocommons Topic List by SCCLDcitizenship, Santa Clara County Library https://goo.gl/QksJrn
• ·         Inglés en 100 días para laciudadanía 428.3461 INGLES CD
• o   An intro to English for Spanish which offers one hundred brief lessons.
• ·         Ciudadanía americana ¡hecho fácil! SPANISH 323.62 ROQUE
• o   Preguntas típicas de historia y de la aplicacíon N-400.
• ·         Inglés sin barreras. 12, El curso de ciudadanía 428.3461 INGLES DVD 12
• o   El curso de ciudadanía [el video-maestro de inglés conversacional]
• ·         Su guía para ser ciudadano de los EE. UU SPANISH 342.7308 BIASE con CD-ROM
• o   Examen de ciudadanía estadounidense
• ·         LearningExpress Recursos para Hispanohablantes
• o   Resources for citizenship preparation, GED, and English as a Second Language study, in Spanish. Check if your library has a subscription to Learning Express. Note: First time users will need to create an account.

(updated 06/15/2016)

Sobrato CET Citizenship Day 11/10/07

CET (Center for Employment Training) has helped many Mexican immigrants acqire permanent residence and citizenship.

Besides having job training, ESL, and Citizenship classes, CET hosts a huge Citizenship Fair in March

CET will have Fall free Citizenship workship on Saturday, November 10 9am-3pm. Lawyers, paralegals, and translators in nearly twenty languages will be available to guide people through the naturalization process.

For further information, contact Sobrato CET Center701 Vine StreetSan Jose, CA 95110 408-287-7924.

Good job, CET!

SJ Mercury News: 70% of California's Mexican population are U.S. citizens

My hometown newspaper, the San Jose Mercury News, just published an interesting article (with accompanying video) about the high rate of citizenship among California's Mexican population. See:

Census figures show 70 percent of California's Mexican population are U.S. citizens 11/04/2007
Summary: For the first time in the most current wave of immigration, U.S. Census figures show that 70 percent of California's Mexican population are U.S. citizens, blunting widespread belief the state is overrun by illegal immigrants.

[VIDEO] A ceremony for 450 new U.S. citizens at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell, Calif., on Wed., October 24, 2007.

USCitizenPod Goes Wiki!

USCitzenPod has a new wikipage dedicated to keeping track of all the links mentioned in the blog and class handouts. Check out: http://uscitizenpod.wikispaces.com/

Students who want to bridge the gap between Citizenship preparation and "real life" can listen to podcasts that "talk" about N-400 topics: personal information, addresses, jobs, marital status, etc. Each N-400 section has a link to podcasts from:

ESLPod

Randall's ESL-Lab

SimpleEnglishNews

BreakingEnglishNews

VOANews Special English

NPR

Three New Documents from USCitizenPod

Here are three new documents from US Citizenship Podcast:

1. The Constitution .ppt
2. Citizenship ABCs .ppt
3. Maria and the Rude Examiner

VOA News: New Civics Questions for US Citizenship Test

I really appreciate the work of Voice of America and I have used the print and audio stories from the Special English Broadcasts. Here is VOA's report on the new Citizenship Test.

New Civics Questions for US Citizenship Test
Officials announce the 100 questions (and answers) about history and government. The newly redesigned naturalization test will be given starting next October.

1. Article
2. Print the Article
3. MP3 - Download Audio
4. Listen to MP3
5. Listen in RealAudio

Spend some time exploring the exciting features of VOA's Special English site. Of particular interest to a Citizenship student is the Making of a Nation, a fifteen-minute program in a series about American history broadcasted every Thursday. Good Job, VOA!

For even more information concerning the development of VOA Special English Broadcast, see Voice of America : a history by Alan L. Heil, Jr. and Oracle bones : a journey between China's past and present by Peter Hessler.

Q38-39: USCIS 96 Questions 38-39: Speaker of the House, Chief Justice

USCIS 96 Questions 38-39

Today we will listen to Questions 38-39 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 38-39 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for 38-39:

1. Speaker of the House
2. Chief Justice

Dictation Sentences

1. The House and Senate are parts of Congress.
2. The people have a voice in government.
   

You can get more info about the Speaker of the House and the Chief Justice from

1. ELCivics: The Capitol Building
2. EL Civics: The Supreme Court
3. Simple Wiki: Speaker of the House
4. Simple Wiki: Supreme Court
   

Q36-37: USCIS 96 Questions 36-37: Capital, Governor

USCIS 96 Questions 36-37

Today we will listen to Questions 36-37 plus M-638 comments. You can download individual State Handouts 36-37 (see below) to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q36-37:

1. Capitol
2. Governor

Dictation Sentences

1. The United States of America has fifty states.
2. There are fifty states in the Union.

You can get more info about State Capitals and Governors from

1. ELCivics.com: 50 States
2. State Maps: 50 states
3. Wikipedia: List of US Governors
4. Wikipedia: State Capitals (detailed!)
5. Simple Wiki: State Capitals

Individual State Handouts for Q36-37:

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Washington

Check back for more states. If you need a state handout quickly, email uscitizenpod@gmail.com. Thanks!

News Stories about the New Redesigned Naturalization Test

New USCIS 100Qs Bulletin

News Stories and Comments about the new USCIS Redesigned Test:

AP: Divulgan nueva lista de preguntas para ciudadanía de EE.UU. 09/27/07

BBC: US unveils new citizenship test By Emilio San Pedro, BBC News, Miami. 09/28/07

HoustonChronicle: New citizenship test more star-spangled than ever: Emphasis is on things that make the U.S. 'what it is' By MICHELLE MITTLESTADT and CYNTHIA LEONOR GARZA. 09/28/07

ICIRR: New Citizenship Test: Final Brick in the Second Wall. 09/28/07

LATimes: New citizenship test is unveiled: The 100 questions are more abstract, relying less on rote memory. Some say they're also harder. Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times. 09/28/07

MiamiHerald: Citizenship test to focus on principles: Concepts that illustrate American values will be emphasized in the new citizenship exam starting next year. 09/28/07

Salon.com: True confessions: On barely passing the new U.S. citizenship test by Tim Grieve, War Room. 09/28/07

NYTimes: New Test Asks: What Does ‘American’ Mean?. 09/28/07

WashingtonTimes (editorial): English, civics and immigration. 09/28/07

More info on the Redesigned Naturalization Test (New USCIS 100Qs)

New USCIS 100Qs Bulletin

Who takes what test when?

1. A legal permanent resident who is (1) eligible for Naturalization; (2) applies BEFORE October 1, 2008; and (3) is scheduled for his or her naturalization interview BEFORE October 1, 2008, will take the current test.

2. A legal permanent resident who is (1) eligible for Naturalization; (2) applies BEFORE October 1, 2008; and (3) is scheduled for his or her naturalization interview AFTER October 1, 2008, he or she can choose to take the current test or the redesigned version.

3. A legal permanent resident who is (1) eligible for Naturalization; (2) applies AFTER October 1, 2008 will take the redesigned version.

3. A legal permanent resident who is (1) eligible for Naturalization; and (2) scheduled for his or her naturalization interview AFTER October 1, 2009, (regardless of when he or she applied), will take the redesigned version.

Here is a list of the documents supporting the newly Redesigned Naturalization Test (New USCIS 100Qs).

Redisigned Naturalization Test: Main Page

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
The Redesigned Naturalization Test

Redesigned Naturalization Test Informational Brochure
A brochure outlining the content and guidelines for the redesigned naturalization test.

Redesigned Naturalization Test: Civics (History and Government)
Items List of 100 history and government items for the redesigned naturalization test.

Redesigned Naturalization Test: Vocabulary List for the Reading Test
Vocabulary list for the reading portion of the redesigned naturalization test.

Redesigned Naturalization Test: Vocabulary List for the Writing Test
Vocabulary list for the writing portion of the redesigned naturalization test.

Content Comparison: Current vs. Redesigned Naturalization Test
Side-by-side comparison of the current questions and the redesigned questions.

Honestly, I shouted for joy when I saw that the writers standardized the questions with the 5Ws. I deeply appreciate the re-organization of the questions, because it is easier to teach and learn material in right-relation. I feel that the infomation is much more reflective of what a US citizen "needs to know" about US History, Politics, and civic culture. And I swooned when I saw the Comparison pdf between the old 96 Qs and the new 100Qs.

Thanks to the USCIS for the extreme care and effort taken during the revision of the of the new USCIS 100 US History and Government Questions. Thanks to the examiners and interviewees who tested the Pilot Questions. A special thanks to writers, document designers, and webfolk who prepared the documents that support the newly Designed Test. The process of the Redesigned Naturalization Test is a great example of "democracy in action". Congratulations USCIS!

The New USCIS 100 Questions!

New USCIS 100Qs Bulletin


Get the new 100 Questions here! More info coming soon!

Q34-35: USCIS 96 Questions 34-35: Constitution, Bill of Rights

USCIS 96 Questions 34-35

Today we will listen to Questions 34-35 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 34-35 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for 34-35:

1. The Constitution
2. Bill of Rights

Dictation Sentences

1. The Constitution is the supreme law of our land.


2. He knows how to a ride a bike.
   

You can get more info about the the Constitution and the Bill of Rights from

EL Civics: The US Constitution
NCC: Explore the Constitution
Simple Wiki: The US Constitution

Q32-33: USCIS 96 Questions 32-33: Judicial Branch, Supreme Court, Law

USCIS 96 Questions 32-33

Today we will listen to Questions 32-33 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 32-33 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for 32-33:

1. Judicial Branch
2. Supreme Court
3. Law

Dictation Sentences

1. There are three branches of government.
2. He has a very big dog.
   

You can get more info about the Executive Branch from

1. EL Civics: The Supreme Court
2. Simple Wiki: The Supreme Court
3. VOA The Supreme Court

Q30-31: USCIS 96 Questions 30-31: Excutive Branch, President

USCIS 96 Questions 30-31

Today we will listen to Questions 30-31 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 30-31 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for 30-31:

1. Executive Branch


2. President

Dictation Sentences

1. The President is elected every four years.


2. He came to live with his brother.
   

You can get more info about the Executive Branch from

1. EL Civics: The White House


2. VOA: The Road to the 2008 US Elections


3. The White House: Presidents


4. Simple Wiki: US Executive Branch


5. Wikipedia: US Presidential Elections

Reminder: New Fees Begin July 30, 2007!

New Fees

Today we will listen to a reminder about the new USCIS fees starting July 30, 2007.

Here's a Class Handout: Summary of the New Fees.

Here is another Class Handout: "Sending Your N-400 to USCIS".

Please note that there are four pages: one page for each USCIS Service Center in California, Texas, Nebraska, and Vermont.

Please confirm that you are using the correct page for your state.

Originally, I put the information for all four USCIS Service Centers and their assigned states on a single sheet of paper.

When I gave the single sheet of paper to my students, they became confused.

The print was too tiny and there was too much information.

I re-formatted the information and printed the Summary of the New Fees on the first side and Sending Your N-400 to USCIS on the second side.

I printed the information on color paper so they can find this paper quickly and easily.  Many students took extra copies home for their family and friends.

Also, please check out the new online video from USCIS "Promise of Freedom"--a twelve minute video presentation on American civics and history. Watch the video online or get the direct download of Promise of Freedom.

Finally, The Pilot Questions have been revised!  There are now 142 questions.  Questions have been marked for Senior Citizens older that 65 and have been legal permanent residents for more than 20 years.

You can get the reformated USCIS 142 here.

You can get the reformated USCIS 142 for Senior Citizens here.

Interview-09: Advanced Citizenship Interview—David Bian (Tianjin, China)

Interview-09

Today we will listen to our ninth practice interview David Bian (Tianjin, China). These are questions are based on the N-400. You can get a pdf. of the Advanced Citizenship Interview here.

10/26/08--the audio file as been updated. Thanks!

Interview-08: Basic Citizenship Interview—Wei Zhang (Beijing, China)

Interview-08

Today we will listen to our eighth practice interview Wei Zhang (Beijing, China). These are basic questions are based on the N-400. You can get a pdf. of the Basic Citizenship Interview here.

New USCIS Video and Online Resources for ESL/Citizeship Students

New USCIS Resources:

***A Promise of Freedom***
A twelve minute video presentation on American civics and history. Watch the video online or get the direct download of Promise of Freedom.

USCIS Questions and Answers for New Pilot Naturalization Test

USCIS Pilot Naturalization Test: Vocabulary List for the Reading Test

Pilot Naturalization Test: Vocabulary List for the Writing Test


Online Resources for ESL/Citizenship Students (mostly Audio)

a4esl: English as a Second Language (ESL) Podcasts
These are the 20 newest podcasts for ESL learners.

Dave's ESL Cafe: Today in History (text only)

ELCivics.com: California (more states--soon!) (text only)

EnglishBaby's Daily English Page

English Club: Basic Question Types (text only)

English Club: WH Question Words (text only)

ESL-Lab: Culture Shock

ESL-Lab: Dates

ESL-Lab: Greetings and Introductions

ESL-Lab: Where are you from?

ESL Podcast 246 – Understanding Addresses

Manythings: Daily English Page

Multi-Cultural Educational Services: LaRue Listening Quizzes
Multiple choice tests of answers to common questions. (variety of accents)

Train Your Accent: Job Hunting

VOANews: How America Works
This series explains the role of civil society at the local level, using Montgomery County, Maryland as an example. Each segment in the How America Works series highlights an aspect of civil society and how it contributes to the collective good of the community.

VOA Special English: The Making of a Nation
Every Thursday, Special English broadcasts a fifteen-minute program in a series about American history.

Interview-07: Simple Citizenship Interview--Juana Ortega (Las Margaritas, Jalisco, Mexico).

Interview-07
Today we will listen to our seventh practice interview from Juana Ortega (Las Margaritas, Jalisco, Mexico). These are simple questions are based on the N-400. You can get a pdf. of the Simple Citizenship Interview here.

July 4th Special: the new 142Qs and more!

July 4th Special!
Today's podcast will feature questions related to the Fourth of July, Independence Day, and the Declaration of Independence. We will compare some of the current USCIS 96qs with the Pilot Questions.

Big News: The Pilot Questions have been revised!

1. There are now 142 questions.
2. Two questions were removed related to the minimum wage and battles of the American Revolution.
3. Topical Headings have been added to organize the questions.
4. Some of the questions have been rearranged (i.e. They have different numbers).
5. Questions have been marked for Senior Citizens older that 65 and have been legal permanent residents for more than 20 years.

You can get the reformated USCIS 142 here.

You can get the reformated USCIS 142 for Senior Citizens here.

You can get the M-638 Quick Civics Lessons in English here.

You can get the M-638 Quick Civics Lessons in Spanish here.

Q28-29: USCIS 96 Questions 28-29: Legislative Branch, Congress, House of Representatives

USCIS 96 Questions 28-29

Today we will listen to Questions 28-29 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 28-29 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q28-29:

Legislative Branch
Congress
House of Representatives

You can get more info about the House of Representatives from

Simple Wikipedia: House of Representatives
Wikipedia: 110th Congress
National Atlas: Congressional Districts
House of Representatives: Find Your Representative
USPS Zip Code + 4 Lookup (to help you find your US Rep)
VOA THIS IS AMERICA #1061 Census of 2000

Q25-27: USCIS 96 Questions 25-27: Legislative Branch, Congress, Senate

USCIS 96 Questions 25-27

Today we will listen to Questions 25-27 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 25-27 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for 25-27:

Legislative Branch
Congress
Senate

You can get more info about the US Senate from

Simple Wikipedia: US Senate
Wikipedia: US Senate
US Senate: Historical Minutes (excellent short stories)

USCIS Pilot Exam Questions and Answers

Here is the USCIS link to information about the USCIS Pilot questions.

Here is the reformatted document of the USCIS Pilot Questions in English from US Citzenship Podcast

Here is the USCIS Pilot Questions in Spanish from Univison.

Here is the USCIS Pilot Questions in Chinese from World Journal (Taiwan).

WelcomeToUSA.gov

"The Task Force on New Americans today introduced four new inter-agency initiatives to help immigrants assimilate. In addition to launching WelcometoUSA.gov, the federal government’s official website for new immigrants, the Task Force announced three major projects to help legal immigrants embrace the common core of American civic culture, learn English, and fully become American."

--from the USCIS Press Release announcing the new website for immigrants WelcometoUSA.gov.

Q21-24: USCIS 96 Questions 21-24: Legislative Branch, Congress, Senate, House of Representatives

USCIS 96 Questions 21-24
Today we will listen to Questions 21-24 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout 21-24 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for 21-24:

Legislative Branch
Congress
Senate
House of Representatives

You can get more info about the Congress and Legislative Branch from

Simple Wikipedia: Congress
Wikipedia: Congress
Government Guide: Elected Officials
Government Guide: Summary of Current Bills
EL/Civics: Capitol Hill

End of the School Year Citizenship CD

At the end of the year, I made a Cd for my students. I included 5 interviews (without the introductory or concluding remarks), the 96 Questions (in sets of 10 without the explanations), and the Oath of Allegiance and Pledge of Allegiance.

The first CD copy was ok, so I made 99 more copies. The only problem was the subsequent copies cut 12 seconds of each track. It was not too noticeable during the interviews, but each 96 question set is basically missing 1 question. I was heartbroken!

So I added 15 seconds to most of the tracks. Please download these tracks for your own CD. Please leave a comment about the copy quality, etc.

I haven't "podcasted" the 96 Questions, the Oath, nor the Pledge yet. Those will be added to the podcast after I complete the "96 Questions with M-638 Explanation" series.

1st Interview: Mae Chen (basic)
2nd Interview: Nam Van Nguyen (advanced)
3rd Interview: Guadalupe Garcia (simple)
4th Interview: Gerta Mueller (simple)
5th Interview: Pari Akibari (basic)

Q01-10
Q11-20
Q21-30
Q31-40
Q41-50
Q51-60
Q61-70
Q71-80
Q81-90
Q91-5X

Extras:
Oath of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance

Let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy end of school! Also I would like to wish my beloved parents a Happy 50th Anniversary (06/16/57) and my dad a Happy Father's Day (I am using his computer & high-speed internet connection to post this entry). As I type this, he is taking pictures of his grandchildren and my mom is advising him him on the photo shoot while passing out another dessert. Back to the family party.

Q20-20: USCIS 96 Questions 20-20: The Branches of Government, Executive, Legislative, Judicial

USCIS 96 Questions 20
Today we will listen to Question 20 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout Q20 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q20:

Branches of Government
Executive
Legislative
Judicial

You can get more info about the Branches of Government from

Simple English Wiki: Branches of Government
Wikitext: The Three Branches: Checks and Balances
USA.gov: The Executive Branch
USA.gov: The Legislative Branch
USA.gov: The Judicial Branch

Q17-19: USCIS 96 Questions 17-19: The Constitution and Amendments

USCIS 96 Questions 17-19

Today we will listen to Questions 17-19 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout Q17-19 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q17-19:

Constitution
Amendments

You can get more info about the Constitution and Amendments from

El/Civics: The Constitution
Simple English Wikipedia: The Constitution
Wikipedia: The Constitution
Audio version of US Constitution: free mp3 download
DoD Constitution Day and Citizenship Day Website (online course)

Teacher Judy is our special guest. She will read the M-638 explanations. After the questions and explanations, I will interview her about Constitution Day. We hope that you celebrate Constitution Day in your school or home. Constitution Day is also called Citizenship Day.

The Constitution Center (NCC in Philadelphia, PA)
NCC Main Page:
NCC Podcasts & mp3s
NCC Constitution Day

Q14-16: USCIS 96 Questions 14-16: Vice-President, Electoral College

USCIS 96 Questions 14-16

Today we will listen to Questions 14-16 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout Q14-16 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q14-16:

Vice-President
Electoral College

You can get more info about Vice-Presidents or the Electoral College from

Wikipedia: Vice-President
US National Archives: Electoral College
VOA: How the Electoral College Works (2nd Segment)

Q12-13: USCIS 96 Questions 12-13: President, George Washington, George W. Bush

USCIS 96 Questions 12-13

Today we will listen to Questions 12-13 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout Q12-13 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q12-13:

President
George Washington
George W. Bush

You can get more info about Presidents from

EL/Civics: George Washington
Wikipedia: President
The White House: Presidents

USCIS Fee Increase and VOA

I use Voice of America (VOA) frequently in my Senior (multi-level) ESL class. My advanced students are devoted listeners and always share the latest news with the other students. Here is the VOA story on the USCIS fee increase:

Advocates Debate Rise in Fees for US Residency, Citizenship
http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-05-30-voa19.cfm (audio)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-05-30-voa59.cfm (video)

I plan to keep my eye on the VOA page at ManyThings.org. Hopefully they will follow-up with an activity on this story.

USCIS Fee Increases and ESL1

I tried to explain the fee increase to my ESL 1 students. The students are familar with calendar terms: dates, today, tomorrow, etc. I usually give a five term dictation after warming up with the alphabet, number chart, prices, and calendar. I feel that tapping a student's numeric literacy is crucial to developing fluency.

I drew a T diagram on the whiteboard and labeled it Before 05/31/07 and After 07/30/07 and added the N-400 (US Citizen) $400/$675, I-130 (Bring Family to US) $190/285, and I-485 (Get Green Card in US) ($325/$1010). The classroom began to buzz with translations.

I followed up with a picture of check for $400 going into an envelope going into the mail with a "postmark" of July 29, 2007, 11:59pm (I stamped the picture for emphasis) and added a happy face. I then pointed the picture, pointed at the at the clock and we watched the second hand sweep for 1 minute as I "ticked" and made a circular arm motion like a clock. I then made a loud "Ding!" and then turned around, crossed out July 29, 2007, 11:59pm, with a July 30, 2007 12pm and "Dong!" twelve times as I crossed out the $400 with $675. I added a sad face. I then erased the board.

Then I followed up with a standard dictation: three price $400, $675, $1010, 1-800-375-5283, and July 29, 2007 11:59pm. When we corrected it, I prompted the class with "How much does it cost?" and "What costs $XXX??" I added the Form number next to the price and "old" or "new". I drew a cell phone next to the USCIS Info number with a Flag & USCIS sign, and I wrote "Before" and donged "After" with three dollar signs and an arrow going up.

Then I passed out bilingual interview mateial in English/Vietnamese, English/Chinese, and English/Spanish. It was ripped from my hands. Many of my students may be actually elligible to apply for citizenship.

USCIS News 2007-05-30: New Fees Start July 30, 2007

New Fees

Today we will listen to a quick update about the new USCIS fees starting July 30, 2007.

The fee increase begins July 30, 2007. That means that your forms must be postmarked no later than July 29, 2007 11:59pm to take advantage of the lower fees.

The N-400 will increase to $675. For all the new fee information, go to www.USCIS.gov.

1. Building an Immigration Service for the Twenty-First Century (Start Here!).
2. USCIS Fee Schedule - Effective July 30, 2007 (How Much? New Fees!).
3. Questions and Answers: USCIS Sets Final Fee Schedule to Build an Immigration Service for the 21st Century.
4. USCIS Fee Waiver Guidance (For those who have no income).
5. Class Handout: Summary of the New Fees.
6. Class Handout: Sending Your N-400 to the USCIS.
   For Class Handout: Sending Your N-400 to USCIS--please note that there are four pages: one page for each USCIS Service Center in California, Texas, Nebraska, and Vermont. Please confirm that you are using the correct page for your state. Originally, I put the information for all four USCIS Service Centers and their assigned states on a single sheet of paper. When I gave the single sheet of paper to my students, they became confused. The print was too tiny and there was too much information.
   

I re-formatted the information and printed the Summary of the New Fees on the first side and Sending Your N-400 to USCIS on the second side. I printed the information on color paper so they can find this paper quickly and easily. Many students took extra copies home for their family and friends.

Q09-11: USCIS 96 Questions 09-11: 4th of July, Independence, England, Revolutionary War

USCIS 96 Questions 09-11

Today we will listen to Questions 09-11 plus M-638 comments. You can download the Class Handout Q09-11 to deepen your knowledge of US History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms.

Note the key words--these words will help you remember the questions and answers. The key words for Q09-11:

1. 4th of July
   
2. Independence
   
3. England
   
4. Revolutionary War
   

You can get more info about Independence Day and the Revolutionary War from

ElCivics.com: Fourth of July
Wikipedia: Independence Day
US State Department: July 4 (Check out Additional Resources on the sidebar--Wow!)

Q08: USCIS 96 Question 08: States

USCIS 96 Questions 08

Today we will listen to Questions 08 plus M-638 comments and the list of US States by Date of Statehood. You can download the Class Handout 08 to deepen your knowledge of US Geography, History and Politics and broaden your English language skills. Look for new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms. Note the key words--these words will help you remember questions and answers. The key word for Q08 is:

1. States

Because we have only one question today, we have included extra information about the dates the states. Most people memorize the names of the states alphabetically by name, but today we will list the states in the order that they were admitted into the Union. You can use this information two ways: first, practice date information; second, use a map and follow the growth of the United States.

You can get more info about the US States from

Wikipedia: List of US States by Date of Statehood
US Mint State Quarters Program
50states.com

On this Memorial Day Weekend, we would like to remember all those who gave their life for their country as combatants and non-combatants. We would also like to remember all those who are graduating this weekend, especially my fellow students in San Jose StateUniversity's MA TESOL Program.