| Abstract: | Beliefs and theories about literacy, from traditional literacy to multiliteracies to critical literacy, contain assumptions and ideologies about what it means to be literate. In the realm of U.S. citizenship, naturalization requires a certain level of English literacy and knowledge of history/civics, ascertained by a standardized interview. This article investigates views and practices of literacy in the naturalization test and citizenship preparatory classes. Ethnographic observations of three such classes indicate that English literacy is taught as discrete, decontextual, and superficial, and accuracy is accentuated over fluency. Overlooked, but equally important to become a naturalized citizen, are de facto literacy practices such as participation in high-stakes institutional discourse. In concluding that neither citizenship classes nor the citizenship test promote critical literacy or citizenship, I end with suggestions for promoting a more active and critical citizenry. |
