A local organization wants to offer a low-cost citizenship preparation course at Tulsa Technology Center, but is waiting for more students before kicking off classes.
Kelly Reynolds, citizenship and ESL instructor for Tulsa Intercultural Association, says the organization has three students so far who have indicated interest in taking the class. She is waiting for more students to enroll — up to 20 — before moving forward.
“As soon as I have, I’d say, between eight and 10 students, I’m ready to go,” Reynolds said. “I’d hoped to kick it off at the beginning of this month, but we just don’t have enough students.”
Tulsa Intercultural Association, a nonprofit that offers cultural exchange programs, will host the 10-week course from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Classes will take place at Tulsa Tech Center Lemley Memorial Campus’ Client Service Center, located at 3638 S. Memorial Drive.
The class costs $150, which covers a textbook and workbook to use throughout the course. You can email tiacitizenship@gmail.com or call 918-641-4133 to enroll.
During the 10-week course, students will learn about the naturalization process, U.S. history and government and strategies for the interview component.
Reynolds wants people to understand their rights but also their responsibilities, she said.
“Civic participation is kind of a cornerstone of our democracy, and I think that our immigrants and refugees need to have a voice in that whole process,” Reynolds said.
Last year, President Donald Trump approved changes to the naturalization test and extended the number of questions to 128. Applicants must correctly answer 12 out of 20 questions selected from the 128.
Reynolds said this has been challenging for most people, including herself, since there was minimal notice about the changes. She’s using this time to help people understand them.
Toward the end of the course, students will participate in mock interviews to prepare for their respective appointments. Reynolds will make observations on what they did well and what could be improved.
The interview is often the component where most people fail, she said. She breaks down the “very difficult” language of the application so they can understand it.
“They know how to answer the questions accurately, that they understand what they’re answering, that they can demonstrate a good solid knowledge of not only the history and government but also of English, because that is a requirement for most people,” Reynolds said.
To enroll, potential students must meet the minimum English language requirement for the course. Reynolds said the English language screening is often completed via Zoom.
Anyone can apply to take the course, but she recommends taking the class no earlier than six months before being eligible for naturalization.
This article was produced as part of a partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and La Semana, a Tulsa-based bilingual Spanish-English newspaper serving Latino communities in Oklahoma.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
