Citizenship Resources for Tutors

There are many resources available for teaching citizenship. We know that sifting through them all can be overwhelming. We have gathered the materials that we think are the most helpful and compiled them here for your use in teaching. "Tutor Tip" will give examples of how you can use the resource with your student. 

Click here to download and print our full resource guide for tutors.

LVCA RESOURCES:

Conversation Scripts - These conversation scripts are meant for two people. These scripts include reading vocabulary from the reading test, which is underlined, and all 100 civics questions. Under each script are the civics questions from the master USCIS list that the script includes. The first script is shorter and easier, and they progressively get longer and harder.

Topics Covered: Civics, reading

Tutor tips: In class, use this resource as a classroom activity and practice.

  • Person B often asks the questions, so you can perform this part and have students answer the questions, similar to what the civics test will be
  • Ask students the questions covered in the script after reading the script to test their civics knowledge and reading comprehension
  • Go over words that the student has trouble reading

Why we like it: These conversation scripts help your students practice speaking and conversation skills, answering civics questions, and reading citizenship vocabulary. 

Reading and Writing Passages - These reading and writing passages include all of the reading and writing vocabulary that your student could be tested on during the citizenship test. Under each topic is two passages. The top passage has reading vocabulary, and the bottom passage has writing vocabulary.

Tutor tips: In class, use this resource as a classroom activity and practice.

  • Have your student read the top passage, then you read the bottom passage to your student and have them write down what they hear
  • Go over words that the student has trouble reading and writing

Why we like it: You do not have to go through the effort of making your sentences, and the reading and writing vocabulary your student needs to know are all underlined so they can practice words they are having trouble with.

Practicing Question Words - This document has a list of questions that your student might be asked during their naturalization interview. Questions are split up by the word they start with, including the 5 W's and 1 H, as well as other question words like 'did,' 'do,' and 'have.' Under each starting word, questions are also divided by whether they are in the civics, reading, N-400, or small talk parts of the interview.

Tutor tips: In class, use this resource as practice.

  • Go over questions or specific question words that your student is having trouble with

Why we like it: This master list of questions allows you to test the student on a specific question word that they are consistently having trouble with and eliminates time previously needed to search for all of these questions among multiple resources.

Citizenship Spelling Practice Puzzle - This set of crossword puzzles and word searches is a great resource for higher-level students to practice writing words for the writing part of the naturalization interview, focusing on months, holidays, people, and places.

Tutor tips: In class, use this resource as a classroom activity, or use it for an assignment as homework. 

  • Have the student fill out the puzzle by themselves and provide help as needed. 
  • Go over specific words that the student incorrectly spelled in the puzzle. 

Why we like it: This is a fun way for students to practice their citizenship writing skills, and after they complete the puzzle, they can later study the spelling.

VIDEOS

Literacy Volunteers Charlottesville Albemarle YouTube - Check out the official YouTube channel of LVCA, which features Catherine explaining civics questions, explaining N-400 questions, and providing practice of reading and writing for the citizenship exam. 

Topics: Civics, reading, writing, N-400

Tutor tips:

  • In class, use this resource as a classroom activity.
    • Show the student videos on civics, reading, writing & N-400 questions
  • Assign your student practice as homework.
    • Show the student how to watch the videos at home to get practice

Why we like it: This YouTube series gives students practice on all four parts of the citizenship test, with detailed explanations of civics questions, reading and writing sentences, and N-400 questions.

US Citizenship Test - This is a YouTube video series that includes videos of mock interviews and practice on civics, reading, and writing. 

Topics: Reading, writing, N-400

Tutor tips:

  • In class, use this resource as a classroom activity.
    • Show the student videos on reading, writing, and especially N-400
  • Assign your student practice as homework.
    • Show the student how to watch the videos at home to get practice

Why we like it: This YouTube video series offers many mock interviews for students to follow along. Some of them provide example answers, and others give viewers the opportunity to answer the question.

WEBSITES

US Citizenship Test: Free Complete Online Training Program 2020 - This website is a one-stop-shop for citizenship materials. It offers practice for questions pertaining to the N-400 application and the tests for reading, writing, and civics knowledge. The website also includes tips for studying for and taking the citizenship tests that you can have your students read. Further, most of the questions also have recordings for students to listen to. 

Topics Covered: Civics, reading, writing, N-400

Tutor tips: 

  • In class, use this resource as practice. 
    • Civics quizzes on specific topics (rights and responsibilities, geography, etc.) that your student might be having trouble with
    • N-400 vocabulary practice quizzes, matching activities, sample commands and questions
    • Tips on taking the test the tutor can share with their student
  • Assign your student practice as homework. 
    • Civics flashcards
    • Civics questions with audio recordings
    • Reading and writing sentences with audio recordings
Why we like it: You can help your student with specific topics of the civics and N-400 questions that they are struggling with. This website is one of the best sources of definitions for N-400 vocabulary.

USALearns Citizenship Course - Make a free account and lead your student in many different citizenship courses, ranging from basic details about the application to passages about various facts of US government and history to teach and test your student.
IMPORTANT: Contact Maureen before using to get sign-in information

Topics: Civics, reading, writing, N-400

Tutor tips: 

  • In class, use this resource as a lesson and classroom activity.
    • Citizenship course tutors can follow with readings and activities for students
  • Assign your student an assignment as homework.
    • Tutors can assign homework to students on the course

Why we like it: This website offers an already-made courseload on all four tests in the citizenship interview that you can use to teach your student.

FREE US Citizenship Test 2020 Practice - Resources from this website include audio recordings of questions, flashcards, writing practice, and study guides from each section of the civics exam. 

Topics: Civics, writing

Tutor tips:

  • In class, use this resource as practice. 
    • Civics quizzes on specific topics (rights and responsibilities, geography, etc.) that your student might be having trouble with
    • Writing practice with two levels of difficulty
  • Assign your student practice as homework. 
    • Flash cards for civics and writing

Why we like it: You can work with your student on different levels of listening and writing practice to learn the necessary vocabulary for the writing test. This website also offers comprehensible yet comprehensive study guides on each subject of the civics test. 

US Citizenship Podcast - On this website are various PDFs with vocabulary and questions from the N-400 form your student might be asked about during the citizenship interview. There are full length interviews, as well as questions from each part of the N-400. 

Topics: N-400

Tutor tips: In class, use this resource as a classroom activity.

  • Use the example PDFs to go through a practice interview with your student.

Why we like it: This website provides PDFs of many different questions that your student will need to answer during their citizenship interview, along with sample answers that they can use to frame their own answers.

Short Stories from New Citizens - This resource includes many short stories that can be read by your student to learn about what other immigrants experienced when they became citizens. 

Topics: Reading

Tutor tip: In class, use this resource as a classroom activity.

  • Have your student read a story, go over words they do not understand, and talk about the main ideas of the story. 

Why we like it: This resource allows students to practice their reading skills, learn new vocabulary, and read about how others felt before and after they became American citizens.

APPs

Citizen Now App. Study for the US Citizenship Test - This app offers students practice on civics, reading, and writing anytime and anywhere.

Topics: Civics, reading, writing

Tutor tips:

  • In class, use this resource as a classroom activity.
    • Instruct students on the usage and features of the app
  • Assign your student practice as homework.
    • Civics flashcards
    • Audio recordings of civics, reading, writing questions
    • Answers for questions about local politicians (senator, governor, representative, state capital)

Why we like it: The app allows students to read sentences using the reading vocabulary and grades them on their speaking skills, and the app also lets students mark civics questions they are having trouble with so they can easily go back to the question and review it. 

CITIZENSHIP TUTORING

Helping a student through the citizenship process is a very rewarding experience. The tutor's role is to help the student prepare for the English and Civics portions of their Naturalization interview. 

  • Citizenship tutors must be able to commit to working with a student through the duration of their time within the program. Depending on where the student is in the process, the commitment could be as much as two years or as little as a few weeks.
  • LVCA tutors can not assist students with completing an application. 
  • Additional training and resources are made available for citizenship tutors. 

If you are interested in becoming a Citizenship Tutor please contact our Citizenship Coordinator, Catherine. 

CITIZENSHIP FLOW CHART

We've created a flowchart to demonstrate the entire citizenship process from start-to-finish. When matched with a citizenship student, you will be told where in the process the student currently is. 

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