Blog

  • A New U.S. Citizenship Test Is Coming. (3/7/2024) - The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a goal of instating a new citizenship test by the end of 2024. The current test hasn’t been updated since 2008. USCIS wants the new test to match current educational standards. The new test has been designed, but USCIS is not using it yet. There are 3 parts to the citizenship test; reading, writing, and speaking. Let's look at the test sections and what will change. Current Test New Test Reading Section: Each applicant has to read sentences to the examiner.   No changes Writing Section: The examiner asks each applicant to… Continue Reading
  • It’s an Election Year (2/29/2024) - This year is an “election year”, meaning that there will be ordinary (regular) elections for local government. I’m sure many of you have started seeing things in the news after the election and candidates. From January until the first Tuesday of November (Election Day) the news outlets will be discussing something about the presidential election. In every presidential election, the Democrats and Republicans have one candidate that represents their party. Many people want to become president, but each party selects one candidate. Candidates are Selected Through Primaries and Caucuses People who want to become president announce their interest in becoming… Continue Reading
  • The Y (YMCA) (2/18/2024) - Have you ever heard the song YMCA by the Village People? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k Ask your parents and grandparents. The song and dance moves to the YMCA song are very famous in the U.S. The song is about an organization in the U.S. called the YMCA. The YMCA has been long for a very long time and many communities have a YMCA. Currently, like always, the YMCA is a place where people pay a membership and get to enjoy services like a gym, pool, swim lessons, classes, and summer camps for children. The YMCA offers things for everyone. People call the YMCA,… Continue Reading
  • Christmas Break for Students in Grades K-12th (12/21/2023) - In the U.S. students have a Christmas break/vacation. Most commonly, students have half a day of school on December 23rd. The next day; December 24th (Christmas Eve) there is NO SCHOOL. December 25th is Christmas and there is NO SCHOOL and most places are closed. Schools remain closed, for students and teachers, between Christmas and New Year's Day (January 26th-January 1st). Students usually return to school on January 2nd. Continue Reading
  • Thanksgiving Idioms: (11/23/2023) - I’m stuffed When a person says, “I’m stuffed” it means they are full and don’t want to eat anymore. Examples: After eating a big Thanksgiving dinner, everyone is stuffed. So, we wait for 1-2 hours to have dessert. After eating Thanksgiving dinner, everyone is stuffed. So, we go window shopping to walk around and feel less stuffed.   Extra info.: A teddy bear is a stuffed animal. She is stuffing everything into her suitcase.   Eat like a bird When a person eats like a bird, they eat very little. Examples: Mike is a big guy, but he eats like… Continue Reading
  • Thanksgiving (11/22/2023) - Before we talk about Thanksgiving, let's look at the history of the first people in the U.S. and this will lead to understanding Thanksgiving. The First People in the U.S. The first people to inhabit (live in) the land that is now the United States of America were American Indians/Native Americans/First Peoples. The Native American Indians first came to the land of the U.S. thousands of years ago. In 1492, Christopher Columbus accidentally sailed to the Americas. Columbus was an Italian explorer. He was trying to find the western route or direction from Spain to India. Columbus crossed the Atlantic… Continue Reading
  • A Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior (9/10/2023) - The words/terms freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior are words that tell you what grade in high school and/or year in college a student is in. There is a name for high school students for each grade they are in. When a student is in the 9th grade, they are called a freshman.  Example: You can say, “I’m in 9th grade.” Or “I’m a freshman” When a student is in the 10th grade, they are called a sophomore. When a student is in the 11th grade, they are called a junior. When a student is in the 12th grade, they are… Continue Reading
  • Sexual Harassment (7/6/2023) - Sexual Harassment is any type of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can be verbal or nonverbal. Both the victim and the harasser can be a man or woman. SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ILLEGAL. It should not be accepted or tolerated anywhere. Some examples of sexual harassment: Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault Unwanted pressure for sexual favors Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching Unwanted sexual looks or gestures Unwanted phone calls, emails, texts, messages, etc. of a sexual nature Unwanted pressure for date Unwatched touching… Continue Reading
  • Sex Offender (6/7/2023) - **This blog post is ONLY to teach English learners what a sex offender is and provide them with information about how they can find out if a sex offender lives in their neighborhood. A sex offender is a person that has committed a sexual crime. Examples of Sexual Offenses: Sexual misconduct with a minor (someone under 18 years old) Rape Sexual assault of a spouse Molestation of a child Continuous sexual abuse of a child Indecent exposure Public sexual indecency Taking a child for the purpose of prostitution Sexual exploitation of a minor Selling or buying of children Material that… Continue Reading
  • AMBER Alert (5/29/2023) - Have you ever heard your phone make a really loud noise and the screen says AMBER Alert? An AMBER Alert is an emergency response system about a missing person (usually a child). AMBER Alerts go to cell phones, are shown on the TV, and/or electronic road signs. Typically, AMBER Alerts will say the city and/or state and give a LIC (license plate number) of a car the person might be in. Just because the car is in another state, doesn’t mean the car is not in your area. When you see an AMBER Alert, please “be on the lookout” for… Continue Reading

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