Handbook for Citizenship Educators in Illinois

This downloadable handbook (formerly called the Citizenship Educator Orientation Packet) was written by the Adult Learning Resource Center and is periodically updated. It contains practical information and materials to help citizenship educators prepare their students to pass the USCIS interview and tests. Content includes an overview of the naturalization process, components of the USCIS interview and tests, classroom materials and techniques, and where to learn more.

Citizenship Education Resource Guide

This extensive annotated guide, part of the part of the Handbook for Citizenship Educators in Illinois, contains links to USCIS resources, useful websites for both educators and students, and recommended commercial textbooks.  Materials for both in-person and virtual instruction are included.

New! Form N-400 Glossary

The purpose of this Glossary  (updated June 2022) is to help immigrants pass the USCIS Speaking test at their naturalization interviews. This Glossary provides simple English definitions for words and phrases that they are likely to find challenging. The Glossary can be used by citizenship instructors in class or by immigrants studying for their interviews on their own. New for FY23 is a Spanish translation of the Glossary.

Online Student Practice Quizzes

The ALRC has developed four online quizzes to provide practice of the history/government content of the citizenship test. Each quiz is self-correcting and comes in two versions: PowerPoint and Microsoft Word. Students can access the quizzes for independent practice, while teachers can download the quizzes to a computer for classroom use. The focus is on the content in the 100 Civics Questions.

Instructions for Quizzes
The 3 Branches PowerPoint Quiz
The 3 Branches Word Quiz
Constitution PowerPoint Quiz
Constitution Word Quiz