The Meaning of "Citizenship": Tests, Policy, and English Proficiency

Autor/in	Loring, Ariel
Titel	The Meaning of "Citizenship": Tests, Policy, and English Proficiency
Quelle	In: CATESOL Journal, 24 (2013) 1, S.198-219 (22 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1535-0517
Schlagwörter	Citizenship Education; Immigrants; Language Proficiency; English Language Learners; Policy Analysis; Discourse Analysis; Test Content; Testing; Cultural Capital; Ethnography; United States History; Civics; Educational Practices; Memorization; Educational Change; Curriculum Development; Critical Thinking; Qualitative Research; Observation; Interviews; Adult Education; California + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Citizenship; Education; Politische Bildung; Politische Erziehung; Staatsbürgerliche Erziehung; Immigrant; Immigrantin; Immigranten; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Politikfeldanalyse; Diskursanalyse; Testaufgabe; Testdurchführung; Testen; Ethnografie; Staatsbürgerkunde; Bildungspraxis; Gedächtnistraining; Bildungsreform; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; Kritisches Denken; Qualitative Forschung; Beobachtung; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Adult; Adults; Adult basic education; Adult training; Erwachsenenbildung; Kalifornien
Abstract	This paper addresses the ideal of "citizenship" in the US and how particular meanings of history, culture, and language are encoded in government policy and practice. The US government (Citizenship and Immigration Services) presents citizenship as a commitment to shared knowledge and values, and it requires applicants to possess competence in "ordinary English language." However, a critical discourse analysis of the naturalization test material reveals a "de facto" policy of higher English proficiency than is claimed. Furthermore, the history and civics requirement of the citizenship test demands memorization of only certain historical facts deemed important. Citizenship policy analysis is paralleled by a localized ethnographic study of an adult ESL/citizenship class, where the instructor's teaching perspectives and pedagogy reveal how a different set of citizenship meanings is understood and transmitted to the students than is officially promoted. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for citizenship curricular reform. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	CATESOL. P.O. Box 9200-338, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Tel: 714-907-4033; Fax: 888-832-0501; e-mail: catesoljournal@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.catesoljournal.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01