SHINE

SAIL

Coaching Tips

The naturalization process is complex. You cannot be a citizenship counselor for the learners, but you can help them get the information they need. You can also help them through the process, including getting them more comfortable about and ready for the interview and the test.

Prepare the learners for the process, not just the test. The process includes filling out the form, greeting the INS officer, swearing in (raise your right hand, sit down, don't sit down), answering questions about the form including answering questions about eligibility, and answering the civics and history questions. Sophisticated English grammar is not necessary for the interview or the exam, but the vocabulary is very sophisticated.

People may want citizenship tutoring far in advance of their readiness for some of the material. That is, their English may be VERY beginning, but they are eager to prepare for the history and civics. See your SHINE training manual for lesson content that is BOTH beginning English AND citizenship exam content. Be sure the learner understands that working on this basic English (saying and writing one's name and address, learning the calendar, learning family names, etc.) IS preparing for the exam.

People may want only to drill the 100 questions. This is not sufficient for passing the test. It is best to teach the content of the history and civics by topic area, chronologically, and ask the questions from the 100 questions list that pertain to that topic area.

Some learners will be allowed to take their exam in their native language. If you are working with someone who will be taking the test in their own language, you can cover the civics and history more quickly than if you need to teach the English that is needed for the process.

It is not up to you to evaluate whether someone will be taking the test in English or another language. You can, however, help your learners get the professional assistance they need in making the determination. It may be that the learner already knows that they need to take the test in English, or that they can use their own language. You can then tutor accordingly. If they do not know, make your own best guess based on the information you've been given, tutor accordingly, and help your learner get the determination needed.