A new law in
Arizona requires1
high school students to pass the United States’ naturalization test. Immigrants
to the United States must2
pass this test to become a citizen3.
The test contains 100 questions on U.S. history and government. The Joe Foss
Institute, a non-profit4
organization in Arizona, worked with legislators to create the law. Their goal5 is to pass a law6 in each
of the fifty states to require high school students to pass the naturalization
test.
Supporters7 of civics
testing are working in other states to pass similar laws. North Dakota passed a
law in January requiring students to take a civics test about8 a week after Arizona passed its law. The
new state laws will increase9
the number of American students who understand how their government works. Few10
students currently11
have this knowledge12.
A 2010 national test, the National Assessment13
of Educational Progress (NAEP), showed only about 25 percent of students in
their final year of high school had a good understanding14
of American democracy. Thirty-six percent did
not have even15 a basic understanding.
“And that’s obviously16 a shame17, and it’s not
only a shame, it’s dangerous for a democracy to have people in a level of
ignorance or apathy18
or both.” John Hale is the Associate Director of the nonprofit19 Center for Civic Education in
California. The organization has promoted the ideas and behaviors20 of democracy for 50 years.
Mr. Hale
thinks it is dangerous when citizens do not know or care about21 how their government works. He says
students do not only need to learn22
facts about government. They should also learn how to participate in their local
communities. In school they can learn how to work together to solve problems23. Requiring24 high
school students to take the naturalization test might be a way to improve25 students’ civic behavior, he
says.
You know the adage26: “if it isn’t tested, it isn’t taught.”27
Does civic education help? But some wonder if28 a test
young people take in high school will make adults more active in their
communities. Sam Stone writes a blog for the Civics Education Initiative. The
initiative is part of the Joe Foss Institute, which helped create the Arizona law29. Mr.Stone says
research shows that civic education does result in more involved adults. He
noted a 2012 survey30
that found the more31
young people studied civics and current
events in high school, the more likely33
they were to vote and understand politics.
Mr. Stone
says requiring a civics exam should make schools do more than just prepare for
the test. “We hope34
that, after they take this first step35,
that schools and states and school districts, teachers, really look for36 how they
can get their kids involved37
actively in their communities, whether38
that’s volunteering on campaigns, or working with nonprofit and volunteer
organizations in their communities.”
Mr. Stone
says Americans need the next generation to learn how to be active, engaged39 citizens. Virginia
decides against40
civic test. In another state, Virginia, the legislature debated a bill41 in January to require
students to pass the naturalization test. But the bill failed. Meg Gruber is
the President of the Virginia Education Association. She says students already take classes42
in civics and U.S. history. They must pass tests in those subjects to graduate43.
And, she
says, Virginia schools are already operating on lower budgets44. Adding another test without
additional money to pay for it puts a greater
burden45 on the schools. Sam Stone of the Civics Education
Initiative agrees that schools should not have to pay more for the test.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure46 that this
costs as little as possible, or as close to nothing as possible.” Mr. Stone
says his organization is paying for an online testing website. Schools can use
the website to give the naturalization test for free. Florida targets47 younger
students, too. In Florida both middle and high school students are required to
take a civics class. In 2010, the Florida state legislature passed the “Justice
Sandra Day O' Connor Civics Education Act." Sandra Day O’Connor was the
first woman to be appointed48
as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Justice
O’Connor founded49
an organization to provide50
online games that teach civics. The site, icivics.org, won51 a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective
Institutions in February. A member of the board of iCivics, Professor James
Gee, is a leading researcher52
in the field of educational gaming. In iCivics games, students use their knowledge53 to solve
problems. They might pretend to be55
the president trying to pass a bill56.
They may be a Supreme Court justice and decide on a case. Teachers and
researchers say this active learning through games keeps students engaged in the classroom56.
Louise Dube
is the Executive Director of iCivics. Ms. Dube says, “Kids tell us, ‘It's hard
to be president’ when playing Executive Command, and it is.” Researchers found
that students who participated in the iCivics games performed better57 on civics essay tests58 and understood how to participate
in a democracy.
I’m Jill
Robbins. Jill Robbins reported and wrote
this story for Learning English. Kelly JeanKelly was the editor.
Vocabulary
1.
requires = exige
2. must = devem
3. become a citizen = tornar-se um cidadão
4. non-profit
= sem fins lucrativos
5. goal
= objetivo
6. pass a law = aprovar uma lei
7. Supporters
= defensores
8. About
= aproximadamente
9. Increase
= aumentar
10. Few
= poucos
11. Currently
= atualmente
12. Knowledge
= conhecimento
13. Assessment
= avaliação
14. Understanding
= compreensão
15. did
not have even = não tinham nem mesmo
16. obviously
= obviamente
17. shame
= vergonha
18. apathy
= apatia, indiferença
19. nonprofit
= sem fins lucrativos
20. behaviors
= comportamentos
21. care
about = se importar com
22. learn
= aprender
23. solve
problems = resolver problemas
24. Requiring
= exigir
25. a way to improve = uma forma de
melhorar
26. adage
= provérbio, ditado
27. “if
it isn’t tested, it isn’t taught.” = se não for testado, não está ensinado (não foi aprendido)
28. wonder
if = perguntar-se se
29. law
= lei
30. survey
= pesquisa
31. the
more… = quanto mais…
32. current
events = eventos atuais
33. likely
= provável
34. hope
= esperar (esperança)
35. step
= passo
36. look
for = procurer
37. get their kids involved = fazer seus
alunos se envolverem
38. whether
= se ou não
39. engaged
= engajado
40. against
= contra
41. bill
= projeto de lei
42. already
take classes = já fazem aulas
43. graduate
= formar-se
44. lower
budgets = orçamentos mais baixos
45. greater
burden = encargo maior
46. make
sure = certificar-se de
47. targets
= objetiva, foca
48. appointed
= nomeado
49. founded
= fundou
50. provide
= fornecer
51. won
= ganhou
52. researcher
= pesquisador
53. knowledge
= conhecimento
54. might
pretend to be = podem fingir ser
55. pass a bill = aprovar um projeto de
lei
56. engaged in the classroom = envolvidos
na sala de aula
57. performed
better = tiveram uma performance melhor
58. essay
tests = testes de dissertação
