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Saturday, February 29, 2020

Thi Nhung Phan's Second Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview



uscitizenpod: Thi Nhung Phan's Second Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview
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Friday, February 28, 2020

Step Up to 2020: Census, Civics, Citizenship



Step Up to 2020: Census, Civics, Citizenship
2020 EL CIVICS CONFERENCE
Santiago Canyon College
8045 E. Chapman Ave. Orange, CA 92869

Jennifer Gagliardi
OTAN.us
jgagliar@musd.org
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CASAS Assessments for Citizenship Preparation



CASAS Assessments for Citizenship Preparation
2020 EL CIVICS CONFERENCE
Santiago Canyon College
8045 E. Chapman Ave. Orange, CA 92869

Jennifer Gagliardi
OTAN.us
jgagliar@musd.org
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Thursday, February 27, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Class 12, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School



uscitizenpod: Mix and Match U.S. Citizenship Interview Level C Practice 2 Plus Geography Quiz

N-400: (5:45-6:30)
  • Warm-up with Part 12 Vocab Quiz
    • give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
  • Interview C-4
    • model the interview with a student volunteer, then pair-up students to practice
    • check in with practicing pairs
    • as they are ending their interviews, distribute red flash cards to allow them practice 5 -10 more minutes

Civics (6:30-7:30)
  • ESL Library: American Citizenship
    • round-robin read aloud page by page
    • Check for understanding, and explain vocabulary/concepts
    • give students time to complete handout exercises on the page
    • Correct and discuss work
    • Pair practice for 5 minutes (circulate throughout the class to help/encourage people)
    • move on to the next page

Integration (7:45-8:30)
  • 7:45-8:10 Finish civics discussion
    • EXTRA: If you have already completed the civics material, pass out Pair Work (Student A & B) (pg 10-11 from ESL Library pdf)
      • read, discuss, complete, correct
      • stop civics discussion by 8:10 and move to the next task
  • Citizenship Interview Quiz with Anh Thi Vu pdf
    • give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
    • 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

US Immigration Restrictions



uscitizenpod: US Immigration Restrictions

Beginning Monday, the Trump administration will subject immigrants to heightened scrutiny based on their perceived likelihood to rely on America's public assistance programs, what critics call a racially-biased wealth test. VOA’s Ardita Dunellari reports, the "public charge rule" was greenlighted by the U.S. Supreme Court last month pending ongoing litigation, and will impact low-income foreign citizens seeking U.S. immigration visas or permanent residency in the United States.
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Tuesday, February 25, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Class 11, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School



uscitizenpod: The Constitution


N-400
Civics

Integration
  • Hao Thi Vu: A Quick Interview for US Constitution and Citizenship Day 2014 pdf 
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Monday, February 24, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Quiz for African-American History Month 2020


In February 2020, restrictions on immigration were placed on six additional countries, including Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, and Tanzania.   In honor of African-American History Month, this quiz celebrates the contributions of Nigeran, Eritrean, Sudanese, and Tanzanian immigrants and their children. 



I read some very interesting articles to prepare for this quiz.  Here are some of the articles:

I'm An American: Exploring What It Means To Be 'American'
Interview with Bela Suresh Roongta

'Americanah' Author Explains 'Learning' To Be Black In The U.S.
Terry Gross interviews Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah Reader’s Guide
BY CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE

Shut up and write 
BY CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on art, citizenship and what it means to be “an African writer”.

Sudanese-American Elected to US Public Office
Mohamed Seifeldein won a city council seat on November 6 in Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of the capital, Washington.

They Fled Sudan for the U.S. Now They’re Worried about What Comes Next.

Trump’s Nigerian Ban Is About Race, Not Security 
BY KỌ́LÁ TÚBỌ̀SÚN | FEBRUARY 4, 2020
Nigerian entrepreneurship and creativity have always found a home in the United States—until now.


Also check out US Citizenship Resources for Black History Month

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Sunday, February 23, 2020

47 people become U.S. citizens after Naturalization ceremony



11Alive: 47 people become U.S. citizens after Naturalization ceremony

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

Thi Nhung Phan's Pracice U.S. Citizenship Interview



uscitizenpod: Thi Nhung Phan's Pracice U.S. Citizenship Interview

 Thi Nhung Phan is getting ready for her interview in a couple of weeks, so we used an easier N-400 script plus some random USCIS Civics and History questions and a dictated sentence.

This interview was based on the following N-400 script:

A "Casual" Citizenship Interview Based on the USCIS N-400r (40qs, 2pgs) (updated 06/12/2016) pdf: http://goo.gl/3tQWXw
ppt: https://goo.gl/pctBRb (corrected!)
vocab pdf: https://goo.gl/kaekRV

Find more N-400 scripts at http://www.uscitizenpod.com/p/n-400-practice_27.html
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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

USCIS Response to the 2019 Coronavirus News Alerts



uscitizenpod: USCIS Response to the 2019 Coronavirus

 USCIS Response to the 2019 Coronavirus New Alert 02/05/2020

 USCIS is actively monitoring the effects of the public health emergency related to the 2019 coronavirus outbreak on agency operations.

Office Closures in China

According to U.S. Department of State guidance, USCIS is temporarily closing its field offices in Beijing and Guangzhou. We will reschedule all affected appointments and will send new appointment notices to applicants.
Check our Beijing and Guangzhou webpages for updates on the status of these offices.

Rescheduling Appointments in the United States Due to Illness

If you are in the United States and are sick or start to feel symptoms of being sick, please follow the instructions on your appointment notice to reschedule your appointment. There is no penalty if you reschedule your appointment.
General symptoms of illness can include:
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose
  • Headache
  • Sore threat
  • A general feeling of being unwell
For the safety of our employees and those we serve, if you or someone with you appears ill during your appointment, the officer may reschedule your appointment.

Special Situations

When requested, USCIS may provide special support for individuals who may be affected by natural or extreme circumstances. When applying for an extension or change of status due to a special situation that prevented your planned and timely departure, we may take into consideration how the special situation prevented your departure. Check our Special Situations webpage for more information.


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Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Patrice Lumumba’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview



uscitizenpod: Patrice Lumumba’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview

Patrice Lumumba from Senegal teaches at Woodland Adult School. She participated in our mock Citizenship Interviews at the 2020 EL Civics Conference in Sacramento. Later I will correct the video's subtitles and post her extended interview as a podcast.
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Monday, February 17, 2020

US Citizenship Resources for Presidents' Day



uscitizenpod: Presidents' Day Quiz (2018)
Over 40 USCIS Civics and History Questions about our Presidents

  • US Citizenship Podcast 
    • Presidents’ Day Quiz 2011 Part A: Washington and Lincoln pdf
    • Presidents’ Day Quiz 2011 Part B: Executive Branch and Federalist Period pdf
    • Presidents’ Day Quiz 2011 Part C: The 1800s pdf
    • Presidents’ Day Quiz 2011 Part D: Recent History pdf
    • Presidents’ Day Quiz 2012 pdf
    • Angelica Mendoza (Veracruz, Mexico) (Presidents' Day 2013)  pdf  |  video
    • The Presidential Valentine's Day Quiz pdf  | form | video
    • Anh Thi Vu (Vietnam) (Presidents' Day Quiz 2015 and 2016) pdf | mp3
    • Carol Lin (Taipei, Taiwan) mp3
  • Presidents' Day 2017 interviews
    • Hushang Ansary (Iran) pdf
    • Rend al-Rahim (Baghdad, Iraq) pdf
    • Esam Omeish (Tripoli, Libya) (Presidents' Day 2017) pdf
    • Nimco Ahmed (Mogadishu, Somalia) pdf
    • Louay Safi (Damascus, Syria) pdf
    • Safa Aldabyani (Sana'a, Yemen) pdf 

 Check back for updates!
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Sunday, February 16, 2020

South Florida teens take oath to become US citizens in Oakland Park



WPLG Local 10: South Florida teens take oath to become US citizens in Oakland Park

A group of South Florida teenagers became U.S. citizens on Wednesday at a ceremony in Oakland Park.
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Saturday, February 15, 2020

Happy Birthday, Susan B. Anthony!



uscitizenpod: Susan B. Anthony Day!

Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820. She was a school teacher who became a social reformer. She worked against slavery and fought for women's rights. The 19th Amendment, which guarantees a woman's right to vote, was named in honor of Susan B. Anthony.

Coin image source:
By US Mint (coin); Heritage Auctions (image) - Heritage Auctions Lot 1449, 29 April 2010, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38677785

USCIS 100:77 What did Susan B. Anthony do?
  • fought for women's rights
  • fought for human rights
USCIS 128:99. Name one leader of the women's rights movement in the 1800s.
  • Susan B. Anthony
  • Elizabeth Cady Stanton
  • Sojourner Truth
  • Harriet Tubman
  • Lucretia Mott
  • Lucy Stone
More resources
  • Archives: Susan B. Anthony and the Struggle for Suffrage lesson
  • ESL Library: Susan B. Anthony lesson
  • Google Arts & Culture: Susan b. Anthony collection
  • Listen and Read Along: Biography - AS - Susan B Anthony - Leader of Women's Rights Movement video
  • LOC: Susan B. Anthony Papers website
  • NPS: Susan B. Anthony website
  • NPS: Women's Rights National Park website
  • Senate: Woman Suffrage Centennial Suffrage Timeline
  • susanb: Susan B. Anthony Museum and House website 
  • VOANews: Pioneers of Women's Voting Rights Highlighted in New Exhibit video
  • VOA Learning English: Flashback: The Fight for Women's Right to Vote multi-media
  • Susan B. Anthony, 1820-1906:  She Led the Fight to Gain Equal Rights for Women, Including the Right to Vote radio transcript
  • VOA Learning English: Susan B. Anthony, 1820 - 1906 quiz
  • uscitizenpod: American Women who Fought for the Right to Vote mp3 / pdf 
  • uscitizenpod: Four American Women in Honor of Women’s History Month pdf
  • VOA Learning English: Thousands Visit Anthony Gravesite on Election Day article
  • Voices of Democracy: Susan B. Anthony, “Is It a Crime for a U.S. Citizen to Vote” (3 April 1873) text and lesson plan
updated 2021-02-04
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Friday, February 14, 2020

A Presidential Valentine's Day Citizenship Quiz




uscitizenpod: Ten questions about the Presidents and their First Ladies pdf http://goo.gl/nj60ar
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Thursday, February 13, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Class 10, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School



uscitizenpod: Citizenship Interview Quiz with Angelica Mendoza pdf mp3 video

 Basic Interview (fast) with Angelica Mendoza (Mexico) recorded in honor of Presidents' Day.


 N-400
  • A "Common" Citizenship Interview Based on the USCIS N-400r (53qs, 2pgs) (updated 06/12/2016)

Civics
Integration
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Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Martha Arroyo Orozco’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview



uscitizenpod: Martha Arroyo Orozco’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview

Martha is a student at the Charles A. Jones Training and Education Center (Sacramento CA) which hosted the 2020 Northern California EL Civics Conference. She is a native of Mexico and currently works at the Cosumnes River College Veterans Resources Center. We hope to see her picture on the New Citizens Wall of Honor soon!
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Tuesday, February 11, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Class 09, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School




N-400: (5:45-6:30)
  • A "Casual" Citizenship Interview Based on the USCIS N-400r (40qs, 2pgs) (updated 06/12/2016)
    Civics (6:30-7:30)
    • Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
      • review Ch 6: Recent History; discuss History Summary
        • give students time to complete handout, then discuss and correct
    Integration (7:45-8:30)
    • 8:10 N-400 Casual Quiz (new) plus History quizzes 58-70;  71-77;  78-87; 88-95; 96-100
      • give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
      • 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions
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Monday, February 10, 2020

Six Countries Added to Visa Restrictions List




VOA Learning English: Six Countries Added to Visa Restrictions List

The United States will begin restricting visas to citizens from six other countries on February 21, although critics question the move.

The six countries are Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania. (Read more)

Words in This Story

  • logical –adj. something that is sensible or reasonable
  • essential –adj. very important, very necessary
  • screen –v. to examine something or someone to decide if it is suitable
  • vet –v. to investigate someone to find out if they can be approved for a job
  • sponsor v. to take responsibility for someone
  • resident –n. a person who lives in a certain place
  • diaspora –n. a group of people who live outside of the area where they had lived for a long time
  • talented –adj. a person with special abilities

Related
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Sunday, February 9, 2020

Citizenship Ceremony in Oklahoma!



oklahomanews: Citizenship Ceremony

A group of Immigrants take the Oath to become U.S. Citizens.. This story aired on the ONR on OETA-The Oklahoma Network. For more information, go to the ONR web site http://www.oeta.tv/programs/onr. For more about OETA-The Oklahoma Network, visit www.oeta.tv.
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Saturday, February 8, 2020

Maria Flores’ Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview



uscitizenpod: Maria Flores’ Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview

Maria Flores is a student at the Charles A. Jones Training and Education Center (Sacramento CA) which hosted the 2020 Northern California EL Civics Conference. She demonstrated a Naturalization interview with her teacher, Mr. Monte, who was high school administrator for 30 years and then went on to teach Citizenship Preparation classes for another thirty years! Congratulations to both Mr. Monte and Maria—we hope to see her picture on the New Citizens Wall of Honor soon!
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Friday, February 7, 2020

Step Up to 2020: Census, Civics, Citizenship



Step Up to 2020: Census, Civics, Citizenship
2020 EL CIVICS CONFERENCE
2/7/20 Charles A. Jones Career and Ed. Center
5451 Lemon Hill Ave, Sacramento, 95824.

Jennifer Gagliardi
OTAN.us
jgagliar@musd.org
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Thursday, February 6, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Class 08, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School



uscitizenpod: Do Van Nguyen's Citizenship Interview

N-400: (5:45-6:30)
  • A Basic Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Revised N-400 (2pgs, 38 qs) (updated 06/12/2016)

    • Civics (6:30-7:30)
    • si: Preparing the Oath: 1900s 
    • Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
      • review Ch 5: Th Civil War;  discuss Ch 6: Recent History
        • give students time to complete handout, then discuss and correct
    Integration (7:45-8:30)
    • 8:10 Basic N-400 Quiz and 1900s quiz
      • give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
      • 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Not Guilty



VOA Learning English: Not Guilty: US Senate Clears Trump of Impeachment Charges

The United States Senate has voted to clear President Donald Trump of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. (read more)
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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

U.S. Citizenship Class 07, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School



VOANews: Young Hispanic Voters in Iowa Ready to Vote in Caucuses

 Hispanic voters have been playing an increasingly influential role in U.S. elections, and this trend is expected to be no less true in 2020 when an estimated 32 million Hispanics will be eligible to vote. In Iowa, where the first in the nation contest is taking place Feb. 3, just 6% of the population is Hispanic and some 50-thousand Latino voters are registered in the state. Jorge Agobian of VOA's Spanish service is in Des Moines

 POP QUIZ:

 1. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

 2. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*

 3. Name one right only for United States citizens.

 4. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*

 5. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

 6. We elect a President for how many years?

 7. In what month do we vote for President?*

 8. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

 9. What are the two major political parties in the United States?*

 10. What is the political party of the President now?

N-400: (5:45-6:30)
  • Simple Interview based on the Revised N-400 (2pgs) (updated 04/18/2016)
    • pdf: http://goo.gl/IY5Y87
    • pptx: https://goo.gl/OhFxA4
    • model the interview with a student volunteer, then pair-up students to practice
    • check in with practicing pairs
    • as they are ending their interviews, distribute red flash cards to allow them practice 5 -10 more minutes

Civics (6:30-7:30)

Integration (7:45-8:30)
  • 8:10 Citizenship Interview with Danielle Marie-Madeleine de St Jorre pdf
    • give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
    • 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions
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Monday, February 3, 2020

US Citizenship Resources for Black History Month (updated)

Happy Black History Month! 
During the month of February, US Citizenship Podcast explores the connection between the USCIS History and Civics questions and African American History.  Let's get started!



 Citizenship Interview and Civics Quizzes:

Activities
  • LearningChocolate.com 
    • U.S. Citizenship 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activity 
    • U.S. Citizenship 22: African-American History Part 1 activity
    • U.S. Citizenship 23: African-American History Part 2 activity
    • U.S. Citizenship 24: African-American History Part 3 activity 
    • U.S. Citizenship 31: African-American History Part 4 NEW (in review)
  • Kahoot.it: 
    • Martin Luther King, Jr Day activity
    • CITIZENSHIP QUESTIONS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH activity

LISTEN UP!  US Citizenship Podcast African-American History Series
  • USCIS 100:60 Slaves, Slavery, and Olaudah Equiano mp3
  • USCIS 100:61 Colonists, Taxes, Crispus Attuks, Lemuel Haynes, and the American Revolutionary War mp3
  • USCIS 100:62 the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, and Sally Hemings mp3
  • USCIS 100:69 George Washington, Phillis Wheatley, and Columbia mp3
  • Feb 05 USCIS 100:65 The Constitutional Convention, the Great Compromise, and Slavery mp3
  • USCIS 100:94 Washington DC, Benjamin Banneker, and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson mp3
  • USCIS 100:71 Louisiana Territory, Missouri River, and York mp3
  • USCIS 100:09 Life, Liberty, and La Amistad mp3
  • USCIS 100:77 Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and Civil Rights mp3
  • USCIS 100:99 July 4th, Slavery, and Fredrick Douglass mp3
  • USCIS 100:74 Slavery, the Supreme Court, and Dred Scott mp3
  • USCIS 100:75 Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, and the Underground Railroad mp3
  • USCIS 100:76 The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth (mp3)

VOA News (recent videos)
MORE RESOURCES (check back for updates)

     Citizenship, Immigration, and Government Resources in African Languages
    Updated 2021-02-01
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