The U.S. citizenship test is being updated, and some immigrants and advocates worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency.
Shai Avny stands in front of a mosaic in Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, Minn., on Friday, June 21, 2023, after watching dozens of people become U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony. Avny said he immigrated from Israel five years ago, passed the U.S. citizenship test last year and became a U.S. citizen shortly after. The citizenship test is being updated and some immigrants, including Avny, worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services proposes that the new test adds a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show photos of ordinary scenarios – like daily activities, weather or food – and ask the applicant to verbally describe the photos. Shai Avny, who immigrated from Israel five years ago and became a U.S. citizen last year, said the new speaking section could also increase the stress applicants already feel during the test.
A current civics question has an officer asking the applicant to name a war fought by the U.S. in the 1900s. The applicant only needs to say one out of five acceptable answers – World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War or Gulf War – to get the question right. “We have a lot of students that are refugees, and they’re coming from war-torn countries where maybe they didn’t have a chance to complete school or even go to school,” said Mechelle Perrott, a citizenship coordinator at San Diego Community College District’s College of Continuing Education in California.
The agency said it will conduct a nationwide trial of the proposed changes in 2023 with opportunities for public feedback. Then, an external group of experts — in the fields of language acquisition, civics and test development — will review the results of the trial and recommend ways to best implement the proposed changes, which could take effect late next year.
But in the German test, Goodman said applicants must answer 17 out of 33 questions correctly to pass. About 90% of applicants pass the test, according to recent estimates. The test is at an “intermediate” level of German, according to Goodman. And a question bank with answers is made available.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Breaking language barriers: PCC to teach truck driving, English in same classStarting this August, some commercial drivers license (CDL) classes at Pima Community College will teach English and truck driving at the same time.
Consulte Mais informação »
One Piece English Dub Streaming on Crunchyroll Beginning July 5thThe English dub of OnePiece will begin streaming on Crunchyroll starting July 5th, and will include the anime's latest episodes as soon as they become available. / AnimeExpo AnimeExpo2023
Consulte Mais informação »
One Piece's English-Dubbed Anime Is Coming to CrunchyrollIf subtitles aren't your thing, you're in luck; the English dub of Eiichiro Oda's global sensation will be available on the streamer July 5.
Consulte Mais informação »
English industrialist stole iron technique from Black metallurgistsA process for converting scrap metal into high-quality iron, which was crucial to the Industrial Revolution, was devised by Black metallurgists who were enslaved and transported to Jamaica by the British
Consulte Mais informação »
One Piece English Dub Crunchyroll Release Date AnnouncedCrunchyroll has announced the release date for the One Piece English dub version of the long-running anime's first fourteen seasons.
Consulte Mais informação »