Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Milpitas Senior Center Ground Breaking Ceremony!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Work of National Importance: Red River Flood 2009
Red River Flood Forces Tough Decisions, NYTimes
Volunteers were racing to raise dikes protecting Fargo, N.D., still higher, hoping to hold back the Red River, which is expected to reach record levels by Saturday. Video. Slide Show 1. Slide Show 2.
Fargo/Moorhead a destination point for new immigrants by Bob Reha, Minnesota Public Radio, July 2, 2006
Fargo, North Dakota has a long history of accepting people driven out of their homeland by war. Twenty years ago, the city saw an influx of refugees from Vietnam. In the years since the nationalities have changed but the influx of new Americans and the communities acceptance of them, has not. Listen in RealPlayer: fargoimmigrants
Immigrant Development Center (serving the Fargo/Moorhead area)
Our Mission: to build the capacity of immigrants to develop economic and business skills.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
VOANews: Alaska and Hawaii Mark 50 Years as States
The two most recent additions to the Union could not be more different, but both are feeling the effects of the recession. Transcript of radio broadcast: 02 March 2009
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: Five Women Writers!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Passport Day in the USA: March 28, 2009
This is your chance to apply for a U.S. Passport Book or U.S. Passport Card during special weekend hours!
The Department of State is sponsoring Passport Day in the USA in locations all over the country.Find one near you!
- State.gov US Passport Home
- State.gov New 2009 Travel Requirements
- State. gov Passport Card
- USCitizenpod: New Citizen and New Passport
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: Ten Women Activists!
Friday, March 27, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-10s
USCIS 100_10s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-10s "Tens": 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 plus two dictation sentences.
Direct download: q100_10s.mp3
Saturday, March 28: Passport Day in the USA!
Regional Passport Agencies and local Passport Acceptance Facilities will open their doors to the public on March 28, 2009.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Eleanor Roosevelt. Also check out: Women's Stamp on History, a special online exhibit from Arago, the Smithsonian Postal Museum--AMAZING!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-9s
USCIS 100_9s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-9s "Nines": 09, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 79, 89, 99 plus two dictation sentences.
Direct download: q100_9s.mp3
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: OPRAH!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-8s
USCIS 100_8s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-8s "Eights": 08.18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68, 78, 88, 98 plus two dictation sentences.
Direct download: q100_8s.mp3
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Christiane Amanpour.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-7s
USCIS 100_7s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-7s "Sevens": 07, 17, 27, 37, 47, 57, 67, 77, 87, 97 plus two dictation sentences.
Direct download: q100_7s.mp3
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: Five Stories about Women from Simple English News.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-6s
USCIS 100_6s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-6s "Sixes": 06, 16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86, 96 plus two dictation sentences.
Direct download: q100_6s.mp3
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Mother Teresa.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Broward Kids Become Citizens
OAKLAND PARK, FL - Declan Lemieux, 4, clasped an American flag in his small hands Thursday as he swore his allegiance to this country...
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-5s
Check out the new NYTimes series: REMADE IN AMERICA--A series about the newest immigrants and their impact on American institutions. Today's Topic: Workplaces.
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-5s "Fives": 05, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95 plus 2 dictation sentences. Direct download: q100_5s.mp3
Ellen Yu Costa (100:58-70) teaches CBET & Citizenship in Morgan Hill.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hero and Heras: Teacher Ibrahim Ahmed Sane and the Kenyan Pro-Choice/Pro-Life leaders.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The DeVries Seniors: VTA Bus Service Part 3
Click here to download photos from Flickr
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Rosa Parks.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The DeVries Seniors: VTA Bus Service Part 2
More VTA Ideas from the DeVries Seniors
During the past week, US Citizen Podcast has featured posts that respond to the question:
USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Beginning last week, we talked about students exressing their opinions during a school board meeting. Another local example of democratic participation is the DeVries Senior ESL class attendence at a Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Community meeting about the bus service in Milpitas.
Before attending the meeting, the Seniors completed transportation surveys, studied transportation vocabulary and supporting grammar, made two videos, and attend a VTA community meeting.
In the second of two videos, the DeVries Seniors offer three suggestions for the improvement of the VTA bus service in Milpitas:
1) Increase bus frequency.
2) Lower the Senior Citizen fare.
3) Add later buses (8am, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm) buses to #104
The DeVries ESL is sponsored by Milpitas Adult Education, and hosted at DeVries Senior Housing.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Alexandra Avakian.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
San Jose's Citizenship & Immigrant Pride Day, March 21, 2009
Immigrant groups, Santa Clara County to hold Citizenship Day on Saturday By Ken McLaughlin, SJMercury-News
Over the past 13 years, the Santa Clara County Citizenship Collaborative has helped more than 120000 people through the lengthy and often ...
CITIZENSHIP ORIENTATIONS
Saturday's Citizenship & Immigrant Pride Day (March 21, 2009) events will run from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Language-specific orientation sessions are as follows:
SAN JOSE:
CET, 701 Vine St., San Jose, CA 95110. Contact: Herminia Arroyo at (408) 534-5471, harroyo@cet2000.org.
English: 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m.
Amharic: 10:30 a.m.
Cambodian: 9 a.m.
Cantonese: 9 a.m.
Mandarin: 1:15 p.m.
Farsi: 10:15 a.m.
Hindi: 1:15 p.m.
Punjabi: 9 a.m.
Korean: 10:30 a.m.
Lao: 10:30 a.m.
Russian: 1:15 p.m.
Tagalog: 1:15 p.m.
Spanish: 9 a.m., 10:45
a.m., 1:30 p.m.
Vietnamese: 8:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m.
GILROY
Rebekah Children"s Services, 290 I.O.O.F. Ave., Gilroy.
English: Noon
Spanish: 10 a.m., 11 a.m.
The DeVries Seniors: VTA Bus Service Part 1
During the past week, US Citizen Podcast has featured posts that respond to the question:
USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
The Citizenship Students, together with their fellow schoolmates at Milpitas Adult School, attended a school district board meeting. In honor of Adult Education Week and impending budget cuts, the students gave their elected officials their opinion on the issue of the importance of Milpitas Adult School.
Another local example of publicly supporting or opposing an issue or policy is the DeVries Senior ESL class attending a Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Community meeting about the bus service in Milpitas.
First, the Seniors completed transportation surveys. Second, they made two 5-minute videos in which they made further suggestions for improved service. And third, they attended the VTA Community as a group, presented the surveys and their DVD to the VTA Sommunity Relations Offficer, and talked one-on-one with the VTA staff.
In the first of two videos, the DeVries Seniors offer two suggestions for the improvement of the VTA bus service in Milpitas:
1) Add a public restroom to the Great Mall Transit Center.
2) Improve connections between 66, 70, and AC 217.
The DeVries ESL is sponsored by Milpitas Adult Education, and hosted at DeVries Senior Housing.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: The National Women's Hall of Fame.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
School Board Meeting #5: Adult School is a Window of a Country
An Adult School is a Window of a Country
Three years ago, Cathy Liu began to study at Milpitas Adult School. She quickly progressed through the ESL courses and obtained her GED. She returned to teach a fee-based Tai-Chi class at Milpitas Adult School.
At the March 10, 2009 MUSD school Board Meeting, Cathy Liu spok not only about important role of Milpitas Adult School in her life, but the importance of all Adult Schools as windows for immigrants to their new homeland, America.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Cathy!
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: Máiread Corrigan and Betty Williams.
Monday, March 16, 2009
School Board Meeting: Part 4
If a peson wants to speak at a School Board meeting (or any public meeting), he or she must fill out a simple form with his or her name, address, phone number, and the reason why her or she wants to speak to the School Board.
Representatives from each of the Adult School programs filled out these forms and gave the forms to the School Board. Several students had written that they did not want their program to be cut or the school to be closed. The Superintendent and the School Board President quietly reviewed these comments during the meeting.
Before the Adult School students spoke, the Superintendent and the School Board President said: "There are budget cuts, but no, the Adult School will not close."
The students were relieved. The representatives said that Milpitas Adult Education taught them academic, career, and life skills needed to achieve important life goals. The Board and MAE students thanked each other, and the students returned to class.
Congratulations MAE students on expressing your opinions to elected officials and participating in the democratic process!
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: US First Ladies.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
School Board Meeting: Part 3
Agendas change. First item: a presentation of a donation by a local church group to the high school special education program. For the next hour, the Adult School listened to reports from individual Board Members followed by financial summaries.
It is difficult for a native speaker of English, "Finance-ish", and/or "Education-ese" to listen attentively to School Board-talk. It is easy to get bored and it is important to stay awake. I quietly circulated a folder with a US History Word Search & USCIS 100 Questions Quiz among my thirty-five students (next year--School Board Meeting Word Search & Listening Activity!).
The Adult School Week was read and passed by the School Board, and the Board members moved on to more budget items. Around 8:15, the Adult Students were invited to address their concerns to the School Board.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: reformist Iranian women.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
School Board Meeting: Part 2
- Text Book: Civics & Literacy pg 114-117.
- Handout: USCIS 100:55. focus on #6: give an elected official your opinion on an issue
The following was posted on from white board next to the agenda
- School directors and other elected officials vote on laws and money for their schools.
- People talk for two minutes about good things/problems in their schools.
- People give petitions (to the School Board).
- The Board Members discuss school laws and money-->and VOTE!
- Our school director will talk about why Adult Education is important.
- We are going to write letters.
- We will go to the School Board meeting @ 6:50.
- We will listen to the speakers. (about 1 hour)
- Jiayan will speak for us and give out letters to the School Board.
- Come back to class.
- Talk about the meeting.
- Eat a snack.
- Take a 100 question quiz & dictation.
- Go home.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Marian Anderson.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Pink Friday March 13, 2009
TODAY - Friday, March 13 - is the deadline for school districts to issue preliminary pink slips to California's teachers. As of this morning, more than 26,500 teachers had received these preliminary notices. Please join us today and Stand Up for Schools.
KPIX Video
Thursday, March 12, 2009
School Board Meeting: Part 1
Two nights ago, the Citizenship class attended the MUSD Board meeting .
- The Citizenship, Senior ESL, ESL 4, ESL 5 wrote letters about the importance of Adult Education
- and presented their letters to the MUSD School Board.
- The students reviewed the "Rights & Responsibilities" section of their current text book.
- The students reviewed a double-sided handout: a double-sided xerox. Side 1: Reviewed graphic representation of the USCIS 100:55 #6; Side 2 form letter was addressed to the School Board.
- Citizenship students copied their form letter on to "Citizenship "class stationary"; SeniorESL students glued their individual pictures to the top of a blank piece on paper on which they had copied their letter. Students were encourage to write about why Adult School was important to them.
- When a husband and wife apply for citizenship, they fill-out two separate N-400, and put their N-400s into one envelope. All of the Citizenship letters were put into a one Milpitas Adult School folder, along with a N-400, a copyof the USCIS 100 questions, and the School Course catalog opened to the Citizenship page.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Heras: Arab Women in the Gulf.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Adult Education Week
Adult Education Week: March 9-13, 2009
California State Consortium for Adult Education (CSCAE) offers great promotional materials to raise awareness about the importance of adult education. Here is an exerpt from the 2009 pdf:
Adult Ed Week is five days, Monday through Friday. You may want to have an event each day, even if it’s just a short ceremony that honors worthy students and teachers.
Schedule a different event for each day of adult ed week:\
These are just a few thoughts to get you started. From past experience, we know that all of these will strike a chord with your local media.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera & Hero: Aung San Suu Kyi.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
N-400 news
N-400 version 01/22/09
A new version of the N-400 dated 1/22/09 has been posted on the USCIS.gov website. This OMB edition expires 12/31/09. The instructions say that the following editions: 1/22/09. 10/15/07, 07/30/07, 11/01/06, 05/31/01 can be used but no other editions will be accepted.
- The N-400 filing fee is $595 plus a biometrics fee of $80; the fee total is $675.
- Applicants 75 years of age or older are not charged a biometric fee; their fee total is $595.
- No fee is required for military applicants filing under Section 328 and 329 of the INA.
If you currently reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, send your application to the USCIS Lockbox Facility at:
- USCIS
- P.O. Box 21251
- Phoenix, AZ 85034
- For express/courier deliveries, use:
USCIS, Attn: N-400, 1820 E Skyharbor Cicle S, Floor 1, Phoenix, AZ 85034
- USCIS
- P.O. Box 299026
- Lewisville, TX 75029
- For express/courier deliveries, use:
USCIS, Attn: N-400, 2501 S State Hwy 121, Bldg. #4, Lewisville, TX 75067
- Nebraska Service Center
- P.O. Box 87426
- Lincoln, NE 68501-7426
- For express/courier deliveries, use:
Nebraska Service Center,850 S Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera & Hero: Lily Ledbetter & President Barack Obama!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Li Jiayan: Studying ESL/Citizenship @ Milpitas Adult School
Li Jiayan: Studying ESL/Citizenship @ Milpitas Adult School
Li Jiayan practices reading a letter about studying ESL and Citizenship at Milpitas Adult School. She will read this letter to the Milpitas Unified School Board on March 10, 2009, 7pm. The next day, March 11, Jiayan will go to her US Citizenship interview. Good luck!
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: KQED: Women's History Month.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
International Women's Day 2009
UNHCR video for International Women's Day 2009:
Men and Women United for Gender Equality.
Equality is a Journey.
The Journey Begins...
With Me
With You
With Us.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-4s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-4s "Fours": 04, 14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64, 74, 84, 94 plus two dictation sentences.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Susan B. Anthony.
Friday, March 6, 2009
VOANews: Visiting 7 Man-Made Wonders in the US
VOANews: Visiting 7 Man-Made Wonders in the US
Two beautiful bridges, a huge dam, a tall space needle, a graceful arch, presidential faces carved into a mountain and ancient houses built into rock. Transcript of radio broadcast:
03 March 2009
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Sacagawea.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
U.S. Military Will Offer Path to Citizenship
The new effort, the first since the Vietnam War, will target immigrants on temporary visas, giving them a chance to become citizens in as little as six months.
This brochure provides you with some basic information about the laws that govern citizenship for military personnel and the process you should follow to become a US citizen.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Clara Barton.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
NYTimes: Opening the White House
The White House can be inaccessible, but there's an intense effort under way to open the doors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to a variety of people. Video
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Zora Neal Hurston.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-3s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
100-3s "Threes": USCIS 03, 13, 23, 33, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83, 93
Direct download: q100_3s.mp3
Jenny Yee (naturalized US citizen & MATESOL student) appears on 100:78-87.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Wangari Maathai.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-2s
Today we will listen to the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-2s "Twos": 02, 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92
Direct download: q100_2s.mp3
Judy Connel, ESL Coordinator of Milpitas Adult School, appears on 100:1-47.
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. Today's Hera: Rachel Carson.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
The 100 Questions Remixed: USCIS 100-1s
Today we begin a new series: the USCIS 100 remixed plus two dictation sentences.
USCIS 100-1s "Ones": USCIS 01, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91
Direct download: q100_1s.mp3
ESL Lessons for Women's History Month
The National Women's History Project (NWHP) teaches people about the important activites of women. NWHP sponsors Women's History Month. This year's theme is Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet .
MilpitasChat.blogspot.com is hosting a new series: ESL Lessons for Women's History Month. ESL lessons about women from our favorie sites will be posted daily. Here are some examples of lessons from some of out favorites ESL sites:
- Breaking English News: First woman swims across the Atlantic
- ELCivics: Sojourner Truth, about 1797-1883
- ESL Discussions: Women Who’s the greatest woman you know?
- ESL Holiday Lessons: International Women's Day
- Famous People English Lessons: Rachel Carson
- VOA Special English News: International Women's Day Observes the Struggle for Equality, Justice, Peace and Development
- VOA Video: Activist Works to Help Afghan Woman