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Infographics + Infografías = Visual Literacy for All!

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

A picture says a thousand words, and our infographics have a lot to say! So what, exactly, is an infographic? Well, “info” = information and “graphic” = visual representation, so it’s using visuals and graphics to present content in an easy-to-understand way. Infographics can be used to help all learners practice their visual literacy skills. iCivics has 19, which can be found in the Infographic Library. And, in honor of April’s National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, we are excited to announce that we now have infografías (Spanish versions of all of them).

 

How do infographics help English and multilingual learners?

 

“The majority of my Spanish dominant students are English Language Learners full of fear, angst, and hope. When they enter school in the United States they are confronted with grade-level material in language unknown to them. The idea of having to look up every word in a dictionary to translate a grade-level article is overwhelming. Thankfully, iCivics now offers their Infographics in both English and Spanish. There is benefit to this for both English Language Learners and Dual Language Learners as they are able to make cross-linguistic connections between the two languages. This not only helps in comprehension, but in the acquisition of language.” Verónica E Schmidt-Gómez, MEd, GradCert Dual Language Ed, Dual Language Immersion Program DRT, Hillsborough County Public Schools. FL

“As Emerging Language Learners we always view our environment first through images. Viewing the illustrations helps us anchor the language context to the lesson we are mastering. Without the visuals, we don’t have a schema to build on.” Maria Sheldon, US History & Spanish Language Arts, Ortiz Middle School, NM

Infographics present language and content together in a comprehensible way which is great for ELs/MLs. The WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework provides a foundation for curriculum, instruction, and assessment for multilingual learners (grades K–12). The updated framework, which is centered on equity and student assets, now includes viewing and visually representing, and infographics are a great way to enhance visual literacy skills.

Each iCivics infographic has a Teacher’s Guide (available in English and Spanish) with all the information you need to use it in your classroom right away. We include an introduction to visual literacy skills, guiding questions, suggested activities, and relevant background knowledge and vocabulary. 

 

How can you deepen the learning?

 

Many of our infographics are thematically linked to iCivics video games or lesson plans so you can use them along with other materials in order to extend the lesson and dig deeper into learning. They are also a good springboard for inquiry-driving instruction. You can ask questions and have students use their visual literacy skills to respond. Here are some ideas:

In the U.S., multilingual learners (MLs) are one of the fastest growing student populations. These students bring cultural and linguistic diversity and we believe all learners should have the support and tools they need in order to participate in our democracy. In addition to our infographics, we also have built-in supports for all English learners in our games, extension packs, and more. Check out our collection of ELL resources for additional details: iCivics & ELL: Resources to Engage your Multiligual Classroom.

We are always adding new resources. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the know about new resources, products, and opportunities!

Written by Kristen Chapron

Kristen Chapron is Senior Editor of Digital Learning and ELL at iCivics. She has worked on all 19 infografías and looks forward to creating even more materials for English and multilingual learners.

This work supported by the National Defense Education Program (NDEP)

Now accepting new members for the 2023 iCivics Educator Network!

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

You don’t have to navigate the challenges of teaching alone. At iCivics, we are committed to building a supportive community for educators across the country. The iCivics Educator Network is one of the key ways we do that.

More than just a professional development network, the iCivics Educator Network is an energetic group of civics, history, government, and social studies teachers from almost every state in the nation who serve as champions and ambassadors for high-quality equitable civic education.

“The iCivics Educator Network not only helped me develop best practices for teaching civics and government but has allowed me to collaborate with educators from across the country who have become great friends.”

~ Michael M., Social Studies Teacher and iCivics Educator Network member

Benefits of joining the iCivics Educator Network:

  • A monthly email newsletter packed full of learning opportunities and resources
  • Monthly virtual Educator Network meetings where you’ll connect with other members and discuss pedagogy and teaching ideas
  • First access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks at new iCivics resources, special events, pilots, and other opportunities
  • The chance to share your teaching experiences with national and local media
  • Collaboration with other teachers as part of a vibrant and supportive community

 

Ana goes to the WIDA Conference!

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

Last week, #FlatAna came to the WIDA conference in Louisville, Kentucky, with three members of the iCivics staff to learn more about the best ways we can continue to support ELs and MLs in our games and other resources. Ana has many roles in iCivics games. She is a campaign manager, guide, assistant, and all around helper. She’s bilingual in English and Spanish, and she believes in the iCivics mission of reaching all learners, especially multilingual and English learners. And if you follow our social media, you know that since June, #FlatAna has been doing a lot of exploring! 

The WIDA Annual Conference is for educators, administrators, and curriculum developers to share best practices and learn new classroom strategies.The opening keynote address featured Juliana Urtubey, 2021 National Teacher of the Year, who talked about the value of being multilingual: “If you speak another language, you are linguistically gifted…” Her message focused on building a “joyous and just education for all.” She said, “Celebrate your successes, compost your failures. Nobody loses when we are all empowered. It is possible when we build a world of wonder and justice around our students.” 

Game-based learning follows that idea. You get to empower your students by having them play the role of a presidential candidate, a lawyer, a county chair, a legislator, etc. In games, it’s ok to make mistakes, or fail. Like Juliana Utrubey says, you can “compost your failure” by playing again. At iCivics, we give students the opportunity to explore content through games which engages all learners and generates wonder in the classroom. What did Ana’s colleagues think?

Kristen Chapron, Senior Editor of Digital Learning and ELL: “The best part about the conference is learning new tips and strategies that we can apply to our games, activities, and lesson plans. In the session, Teaching Language Objectives Using Next Generation ESL Curriculum Resources, Dr. Jennifer Altavilla-Giordano broke down the components of creating language objectives. Participants were able to practice using and adapting the tools. Function and features are key. I also learned innovative ways to engage students with academic language from Nadra Shami, ELL Language and Literacy Trainer, in an interactive session called Developing Academic Language in the Content Areas. I also loved the energy and great ideas from other sessions, and I am excited to get back to curriculum writing, apply these practices, and share them with our team.”

Kristen Chapron with Dr. Jennifer Altavilla-Giordano, lecturer and program director for TESOL & Bilingual Education at BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.

 

Angela Clay, Curriculum Associate for EAD: “I had the privilege of learning about James Baldwin’s speech “A Talk to Teachers” from Dr. Carl Grant. Dr. Grant related Baldwin’s 1963 speech to the contemporary world. He articulated eloquently the significance of how a student’s self-image is mirrored in history and the classroom. When students recognize themselves in the lesson, they develop a sense of belonging in the classroom and in society. Dr. Grant was also able to illustrate the overlap between English learners and minority students. Both groups are resilient and, as Baldwin argued, they belong in today’s society. In order for all students to develop a good self-image, it is the responsibility of educators and curriculum leaders to guarantee that we educate our children and acknowledge the complex layers necessary to create a more inclusive learning environment for students to have a positive self-image. Dr. Grant charged us as educators to ensure we empower our students to build a more inclusive classroom and society.”

Angela Clay with Dr. Carl Grant,Hoefs-Bascom Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and former Chair of the Afro American Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Amanda Setters, Curriculum Associate: “As a former Social Studies teacher, I really enjoyed exploring new classroom strategies. In my new role creating resources, I fall back on that knowledge to develop materials that are not only rigorous, but also include impactful scaffolds that save teachers time and effort. In my session on Scaffolding Strategies for High School EL Students, I did just that. High School English Teacher Noel Emilius gave an excellent presentation on strategies she implements to scaffold grade level content assignments to support all learners. In addition to taking us on a tour through one of her lessons, we also took some workshop time to discuss how we have used strategies in the field. Then we had time to apply the knowledge in our work. What is so powerful is that the time investment in creating these lessons can benefit a wide range of learners in today’s classroom so it is truly time well spent. It also highlights the need to network with other teachers to collaborate and share the workload. The exhibitor hall also had tons of resources that can help classrooms leverage technology to develop language skills so I really enjoyed seeing the variety of materials and tools that are available.”

Apply to become an iCivics Teacher Facilitator Fellow (TFF)

Posted on by Luke O'Connor
  • Do you teach 7–12th grade social studies or civics in Northern California?
  • Are you interested in being a teacher-leader and facilitating social studies and civics professional development for teachers in your district, county, and state?
  • Are you interested in being part of a community of practice learning together to transform social studies and civics teaching and learning across the state of California?
  • Do you want to earn $2,100?

If you answered yes to these questions, consider becoming an iCivics Teacher Facilitator Fellow!

What is the iCivics Teacher Facilitator Fellow Program?

iCivics is building a train-the-trainer model to cultivate a strong network of California educators with the knowledge, skills, and demonstrated abilities to provide the kind of high-quality civic education to each and every student in their state, that is essential to sustaining and strengthening our constitutional democracy. We know that we can only reach this goal with the leadership and support of skilled teachers! This fellowship program creates a cohort of Teacher Facilitator Fellows who will work collaboratively with iCivics, other content and pedagogical experts, and each other to strengthen civic education content, pedagogy, and facilitation skills. 

After completion of this fellowship, Teacher Facilitator Fellows will receive a stipend to provide professional development opportunities to other educators in their district, county, and state.

The fellowship will be limited to 20 educators from Northern California for its inaugural year (School Year 2022–23). We are excited to expand the program statewide during the 2023 and 2024 school years!

As part of the fellowship, you will:

  • Attend an in-person kick-off event in late fall where you will meet, connect, and collaborate with other TFFs in your cohort, examine best practices for civics teaching and learning, and hear from guest presenters;
  • Participate in monthly professional development through webinars and coursework from iCivics staff and guest presenters;
  • Be part of a statewide community of practice learning together and supporting high-quality civic instruction;
  • Attend a statewide convening during the summer;
  • Become a certified iCivics Teacher Facilitator and be awarded a digital badge; and
  • Be compensated $2,100, upon fulfillment of fellowship obligations, with potential opportunities to participate in other stipend work. 

How to apply: 

Complete the application.

Embracing National Hispanic Heritage Month

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

Growing up in Miami, Florida, I was surrounded by Hispanic culture, Hispanic leaders, and the Spanish language. Thanks to my parents, I grew up speaking both Spanish and English. I was exposed to my Guatemalan heritage and explored how that intertwined with growing up in the United States. Unfortunately, this did not include a lot of civic knowledge or skills. My parents had not been a part of the electoral process in their country of origin or in the United States. They also never attended school due to the violence and poverty that had struck their country throughout the 20th century. Thankfully, I was able to develop my passion and knowledge for civics from my school and was able to take a dedicated civics course—something solidified for all Florida middle schoolers with the passage of the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Education Act in 2010.

It was not until I left Miami that I understood the importance of National Hispanic Heritage Month. This month of celebration and recognition allowed me to come together with other students at my university and recognize the importance of Hispanic contributions to the American story. As an educator, I had the opportunity to teach a World Cultures course every year, in which students got to explore different cultures through projects and research. It was always a special time when we got to the unit in Latin America, which I ensured landed during Hispanic Heritage Month. The majority of my students identified with this region because it was where their families were from. That is when I noticed how powerful Hispanic Heritage Month could be in the classroom. Acknowledging these stories and celebrations was one way of creating and celebrating community in the classroom.

These steps in my journey led me to iCivics. At a personal level, I understand how essential civic education is to those of the youngest generation who may not have a family that is civically engaged. Civic education serves as a way to overcome generational barriers to civic engagement. Luckily, my mom will have an opportunity to vote for the first time in her life on November 8.

I challenge educators and students to use this month’s significance and incorporate it into their school community however possible. One way is by studying leaders like U.S. Supreme Court Justice (and iCivics board member) Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina and first woman of color to serve on the land’s highest court. Another way is by using iCivics’ ELL resources to make civics accessible to your English and multilingual learners. As a Latino, I feel proud to be able to continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Written by Michael Reyes

Born in Miami, Florida, Michael has nearly three years of teaching experience in his hometown. At iCivics, Michael manages the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship and the Youth As Civics Experts Network. He supports our Youth Fellows in finding and using their voices towards their civic passion, a similar experience he went through in high school.

CHCI R2L NextGen Program Creates Full-Circle Moment for iCivics Team Member

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

Earlier this summer, iCivics’ Director of Curriculum and Content Taylor Davis and I held a workshop for R2L NextGen students from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) to help them learn more about their constitutional rights.

These high school students discussed the importance of our Constitution and the rights it protects for the people of the United States. They then proceeded to play our game, Do I Have A Right? While playing, students reflected on their experience of stepping into the role of a lawyer and learning to navigate their constitutional rights.

Here is what they had to say:

“I learned how critical our lawyers are in our government and how we depend on our amendments.”

– Linsi Perez, Florida

“I relearned which rights went with which amendments. I learned more in depth details about many amendments. I realized the applications of these amendments and how they help to solve issues that people have.”

– Nicolas R., Florida

“I am wondering whether or not most people are actually aware of these rights and I wonder how these games can continue to impact those who don’t.”

– Alexandra C., Florida

This session was a full-circle moment for me because I was part of the inaugural cohort of CHCI’s R2L NextGen program in the summer of 2011. This civic youth experience was pivotal to my life-long civic journey. R2L NextGen prepared me to get more involved in my hometown of Miami, Florida, and seek more civic opportunities. It taught me that civic participation was vital to your community and it empowered me to become part of my high school’s Student Government Association and later be involved in campus elections at the University of Florida.

Without the experience with CHCI’s R2L NextGen as a sophomore in high school, I would not have the motivation I have today to be civically engaged and connected to my community. I was very impressed with how engaged this group of students was during the game and all the wonderful questions they had! I hope they continue playing our games and making the most of their life-long civic journey.

Written by Michael Reyes

Born in Miami, Florida, Michael has nearly three years of teaching experience in his hometown. At iCivics, Michael manages the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship and the Youth As Civics Experts Network. He supports our Youth Fellows in finding and using their voices towards their civic passion, a similar experience he went through in high school.

Join students like Sophie – Apply for the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship!

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

Last summer, I was approached by my AP U.S. Government teacher, who presented me with the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship and motivated me to apply. While civics and politics have always been a passion of mine, I was unsure of what the fellowship entailed. I decided to apply regardless of the specifics because having the opportunity to engage in conversations regarding civics education with other young people was, in my opinion, a fantastic opportunity. 

Now that the fellowship is almost over, I look back at all that we have done this year, and I am grateful for all the knowledge and amazing opportunities the EYCF team has given us. Fellows have learned about civics, media, video editing, and more. We have engaged in rich conversation regarding the equity or inequity of civics in the United States and addressed all these challenges and questions with possible solutions based on extensive research we performed.

One of the most valuable aspects from the fellowships has been the ability to connect with young people from all over the country, all of whom come from different states and backgrounds. Some of us are from suburban areas, while others live in rural counties. We all live in communities that represent the political spectrum. All of our differences make this fellowship unique. We’ve learned about new perspectives and ideas while also getting to know people within our age range who are passionate about impacting their communities. 

Lastly, without the incredible support of our mentors, Michael Reyes and Natacha Scott, this would not have been possible. Throughout this journey, they have kept us on track with our learning and activities, and they have brought amazing guest speakers. They have given us the necessary tools to become confident in our abilities and empower ourselves to reach out to our communities to spread awareness on topics that mean a lot to us and civic education. 

I encourage all of you to participate in this fellowship because it is unlike any other experience you have been a part of. It will build your knowledge and character and allow you to bond with people who otherwise you would probably never come across with.

Authored by Sophie Schmidt

Sophie Schmidt is an 18-year-old senior from Ocean Springs High School, Mississippi, ready to begin her college journey at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she was awarded the presidential scholarship. In her free time Sophie enjoys volunteering and is very involved with her local hospital as she aspires to become a doctor. She is passionate about civics and political advocacy and works hard to raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, and environmental awareness.

Encourage Your Students to Apply to Join the 2022–23 Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship Cohort!

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

Do you have students entering 9th–12th grade interested in civics, education, equity, government, history, justice, or politics? They may be perfect candidates for the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship.

This paid, 10-month fellowship brings together a talented group of high school students from around the country to think globally, act locally, listen to others, and build coalitions. Fellows will utilize their lived experiences to shed light on how civic education can include student voices and become more equitable.

During this virtual program, fellows will research issues of equity in civic education in their school communities and address the practices and policies related to their civic learning experiences. They will engage in group projects and guided discussion; build and lead student voice campaigns; and benefit from a variety of other experiences.

We welcome all high school students* who meet the following criteria to apply by June 13, 2022.

  1. U.S. student in high school* during the 2022–23 school year.
  2. Interested in civics, education, equity, government, history, justice, or politics.
  3. Ability to attend an in-person gathering in Washington D.C. in October 2022 (paid for by the fellowship program).

Interested students must complete the student application and also have an educator/mentor complete a nomination form to be considered for the program.

We hope you’ll share this incredible learning and civic engagement opportunity with your students. We appreciate all you do to help develop our nation’s future leaders.

 *This program is for rising 9th–12th grade students living in the United States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

¡Vamos a jugar! Let’s play!

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

In 2016, the U.S. House of Representatives recognized April as National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month. English and multilingual learners are one of the fastest-growing populations in U.S. schools. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are currently more than 5 million English (ELs) and multilingual learners (MLs) in the public school system and 75% of them (about 3.8 million) are Spanish speakers.

In 2017, iCivics began creating resources designed specifically to support ELs/MLs as they learn content and develop their language skills simultaneously. We convened a council of EL/ML experts at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., and they helped us brainstorm ways to make the game Do I Have A Right? more accessible for our students. The new game featured supports—both inside and outside of the game—including the option to play in Spanish.

We added these supports to ensure that our resources are adaptable and appropriate. These materials:

  • build on students’ strengths
  • challenge and support multilingual learners
  • offer engaging opportunities to learn including practice with reading, writing, listening, and speaking
  • have supports/scaffolds as needed
  • help build a classroom culture that is a welcoming place where students can speak respectfully to one another, diverse perspectives/viewpoints

As part of our mission, iCivics wants to encourage multilingual learners to become engaged members of their communities, within and beyond the classroom.

 ¿Quė? ¡¡10 JUEGOS!! What? 10 Games!! 

We now have 10 games with supports for ELs/MLs and the option to play in Spanish, including English-language voiceover, glossary, decision support tools, and a content guide, as well as pre- and post-game activities found in the game-specific extension packs. (See all 10 games listed on our ELL landing page.) Our newest game is Convene the Council, or Convocar al consejo in Spanish, with an Extension Pack that includes pre- and post-game activities and instruction. 

 ¡Y hay más! And there’s more!

Lau v. Nichols Lesson Plan

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court’s decision that required public schools to provide language supports to English and multilingual learners. 

Make iCivics Lessons accessible and EL student-friendly with Kami

Whether your classroom is online, hybrid, or in-person, EL-student-friendly and accessible learning are more important than ever. This blog post highlights a few tools from Kami that help students engage with iCivics lessons in an inclusive way.

Written by Kristen Chapron

Kristen Chapron is Senior Editor of Digital Learning and ELL at iCivics. She has worked on all 10 bilingual games and looks forward to creating even more materials for English and multilingual learners. ¡Adelante! Let’s go!

Help Our Fellows Learn About the State of Civic Education

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

How do you define “civics” or “civic education”? The Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship is calling on all students across the country to help answer this question and provide insight into the current state of civic education.

The Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship launched the #CivicsForUS Listening Tour as an online survey open to all students in 6th grade through college. This anonymous survey will help our Youth Fellows learn more about what their peers across the country are experiencing regarding civic education. Fellows will use this data to continue highlighting the need for civic education that is equitable and relevant to all students in the United States.

“The Listening Tour will allow us to gather insight regarding the state of civic education in our country. We will be more informed on the similarities and differences within our communities and inspired with a sense of problem-solving as we strive to examine ways to make civics education equitable.” -Sophie Schmidt, Equity in Civics Youth Fellow from Mississippi.

Our Youth Fellows have been busy sharing this nationwide survey with their communities. So far, we have collected more than 300 responses from students across 29 states, Washington D.C, and Puerto Rico. However, we need your help to reach as many students as possible. The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete and will be open until April 15, 2022

As a former social studies teacher, I would encourage other educators to share this survey with their students. This survey will allow students to lend their unique voices to the conversation surrounding high-quality, equitable civic education. Our youth are important stakeholders in their civic education, and their experiences can help organizations like iCivics see what matters to students.

Whether you have your students complete the survey as a bellringer or encourage them to complete it outside of class, you will help our Youth Fellows learn more about the state of civic education across the nation and take the best steps toward achieving an equitable education.

Written by Michael Reyes

Born in Miami, Florida, Michael has nearly three years of teaching experience in his hometown. At iCivics, Michael manages the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship and the Youth As Civics Experts Network. He supports our Youth Fellows in finding and using their voices towards their civic passion, a similar experience he went through in high school.