
Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a December announcement that the proposed changes “reflect current best practices in test design” and would help standardize the citizenship test.

That’s my main concern about the multiple-choice test it’s a lot of reading,” Perrott said.
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“It’s more difficult learning to read and write if you don’t know how to do that in your first language. “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. That includes refugees, elderly immigrants and people with disabilities that interfere with their test performance. Lynne Weintraub, a citizenship coordinator at Jones Library’s English as a Second Language Center in Massachusetts, said the proposed format for the civics section could make the citizenship test harder for people who struggle with English literacy. The applicant is not told which questions will be selected but can see and study the 100 questions before taking the test. Those 10 questions are selected from a bank of 100 civics questions. in the 1900s in order to select the one correct answer, Bliss said, and that requires a “significantly higher level of language proficiency and test-taking skill.”Ĭurrently, the applicant must answer six out of 10 civics questions correctly to pass. The applicant must know all five of the wars fought by the U.S. “It’s a test that will determine if you are going to be a citizen. Maybe you will be nervous and you won’t find the words to tell them what you need to describe,” Avny said. When it’s not your first language, it can be even more difficult. “Sitting next to someone from the federal government, it can be intimidating to talk and speak with them. citizen last year, said the new speaking section could also increase the stress applicants already feel during the test. Shai Avny, who immigrated from Israel five years ago and became a U.S. She worries that adding a new speaking section based on photos, rather than personal questions, will make the test harder for others like her. and found pronunciation to be very difficult. Mehreta, 32, said she learned English as an adult after moving to the U.S. “For me, I think it would be harder to look at pictures and explain them,” said Heaven Mehreta, who immigrated from Ethiopia 10 years ago, passed the naturalization test in May and became a U.S. In the current test, an officer evaluates speaking ability during the naturalization interview by asking personal questions the applicant has already answered in the naturalization paperwork.

An officer would show photos of ordinary scenarios – like daily activities, weather or food – and ask the applicant to verbally describe the photos. Citizenship and Immigration Services proposes that the new test adds a speaking section to assess English skills. The new version is expected late next year.

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authorities said the test was due for an update after 15 years. In that spirit, the citizenship test was changed back to its previous version, which was last updated in 2008. Within months, Democratic President Joe Biden took office and signed an executive order aimed at eliminating barriers to citizenship. Many are still shaken after former Republican President Donald Trump’s administration changed the test in 2020, making it longer and more difficult to pass. The naturalization test is one of the final steps toward citizenship - a monthslong process that requires legal permanent residency for years before applying. citizenship test is being updated, and some immigrants and advocates worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency.
