Citizenship Test Changes Might Require Better English Skills

2023 · VOA Learning English

This speaker is a general-american model. Each line below can be recorded and scored against it.

Transcript

1. The United States admitted over 967,000 people as new citizens in 2022.

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2. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that was the largest number of people naturalized since 2008. To become a U.S.

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3. citizen, a candidate needs to live in the country as a permanent resident for at least five years and be over 18 years old.

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4. After applying, a candidate for citizenship needs to pass an interview with a USCIS officer.

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5. In the interview, an official assesses the person for their English ability, knowledge of American history and government, and personal background.

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6. Over 96 percent of people pass the naturalization test. But changes are coming to the test that could make it more difficult for English learners.

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7. Carolyn Quinn and John Schmelzer teach a free class in Montgomery County, Maryland, to help prepare people living in the area for the interview.

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8. They said it is most important that people are able to understand the questions the interviewer is asking. It is not as important to speak in grammatically correct sentences.

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9. The question the interview is trying to answer is: “Do these people understand enough English to be a functioning citizen?” Schmelzer said.

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10. At the beginning of each class, Quinn and Schmelzer ask their students simple “small talk” questions

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11. they might hear in the interview, like “How did you get here today?” or “Why do you want to become a United States citizen?”

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12. Much of the interview is based on questions on the Application for Naturalization Form, called the N-400

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13. Most are personal questions related to employment, family and personal history.

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14. Rajbit Kahn took Quinn’s class and passed the naturalization interview in August. She said the class gave her more confidence to speak English in the interview.

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15. Before the class, she rarely spoke English, she said. But now, “I talk to anyone.”

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16. However, Quinn stresses to her students that her class is not an English class.

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17. And she has students enter her class without enough English knowledge to pass the interview.

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18. With the increase in Afghan immigrants into the United States, Quinn said she has had a few Afghan women come into her class.

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19. She said, “They never had any kind of schooling. So, they don’t know how to write.

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20. They don’t know how to read. They don’t know letter sounds.”

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21. Often, family members with better English skills will fill out the N-400 form for them. But they would be unable to answer the interview questions themselves.

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22. Possible changes to the naturalization interview would make civics questions multiple choice to “reflect current best practices in test design,” USCIS said in a document

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23. explaining the update to the test. Schmelzer said that would make the test harder for immigrants who may not have a great understanding of American history or English.

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24. For now, students memorize 100 civics questions. Ten of the questions will be asked on the day of the interview and applicants must answer six correctly to pass.

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25. One question is “Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.” Currently, people just need to memorize one war fought during that 100-year period.

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26. But a multiple-choice test would require knowledge of four wars presented as answer choices and know which one was fought in the 1800s.

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27. “You're forcing them to expand their memorization,” Schmelzer said. Another proposed change would add a speaking test to assess English ability.

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28. The officer would present three photos and the interviewee would have to describe what is happening in the pictures.

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29. Currently, English knowledge is assessed through questions from the N-400 and other small-talk questions.

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30. The new interview changes are currently being tested in several locations around the country. USCIS will hear feedback about the tests before the end of the year.

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31. Quinn and Schmelzer said the test should be updated. Just one civics question is related to a female American historical figure, Schmelzer said.

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32. But Quinn questions what is to be gained by making changes to the test to make it harder. People in her class “put their souls” into becoming citizens.

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33. “How much more do we need to ask them to do?” she said.

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34. John Yepow is another of Quinn’s students who along with his wife, recently became a U.S. citizen.

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35. Yepow came from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He lived in Zambia for 10 years before moving to the United States.

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36. Yepow, who works as a medication technician, said he follows American politics closely.

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37. He calls himself a lifelong learner and has even taken online classes about American history.

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38. “I want to learn and make sure I’m integrated into American society,” he said. Yepow added: “This is the land of opportunity

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39. We are dreaming big." He said he will make sure to take advantage of every opportunity.

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