Civic Engagement
Resources that promote civic engagement and reflect the diversity of adult English learners
America ReFramed: World Channel program showcasing videos with stories, voices and experiences that reflect the diversity of the U.S., including more than half produced by female filmmakers, and a third by BIPOC filmmakers.
Fannie Lou Hamer's America: The film, produced by Hamer's great-niece, explores and celebrates the lesser-known life of a Mississippi sharecropper-turned-human-rights-activist and one of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest leaders, and includes audio recordings and archival video footage of Hamer's powerful speeches, soul-stirring songs and impassioned pleas for equal rights.
For the Love of Rutland: This film offers a sustained look into the normalization of "white rage" across the US, while uncovering the stories of ordinary people who seek to challenge deeply held beliefs and bring Syrian refugees to a rural Vermont community.
Bow Valley College ESL Literacy Readers: (Beginner - Low Intermediate ESOL) Free adult education resources to support development of literacy skills for English learners. Stories highlight the lives of immigrants from many backgrounds and ethnicities.
The Change Agent: (High Beginner - High Intermediate ESOL) A biannual electronic magazine for adult educators and learners published by the New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC) at World Education, with curated submissions from adult learners across the U.S. (MA adult educators have free access to this site with login massachusetts / changeagent). There are many issues on topics related to civic engagement and navigating systems, including:
Pandemic (Sept 2020)
Stand Up and Be Counted (March 2020)
Transportation (Sept 2016)
Dropping Back In: (High-Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) KET Adult Education video collection features short videos, each highlighting the success story of someone who left public education then later returned to continue their education and reach professional and personal success.
School to Prison Pipeline: (14 min) Dr. Victor Rios discusses his research in juvenile justice, the policing of America's schools, and the school-to-prison pipeline as a former teenage gang member and high school dropout who left the streets, returned to school, and eventually became a college professor, author and expert in issues involving the education system failing poor black and Latino boys.
From GED to PhD: (7 min) Kellie Blair Hardt overcame homelessness, alcoholic parents, school expulsion and discouragement at every turn to return to school, earn a GED diploma, and ultimately both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and become an award-winning special education teacher.
Newsela: (Low Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) Sets of thematically connected texts on a wide range of topics related to race, culture, history, social justice, and more. Each text has a range of difficulties to select from, and topics related to civic engagement include:
Module 6 of the MA ABE Collection: Civics Education
Preparing for the Oath: (Low Intermediate - Advanced ESOL): An easy-to-use study guide for the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization Test. The site includes Q/A for the test, self-assessment activities, videos with transcripts, and word lists with definitions.
PBS Learning Media: (Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) Resources for educators include videos, lesson plans, and supplementary materials. Different topics areas relevant to Civic Engagement include:
U.S. History Collection featuring multi-cultural perspectives on significant events, and a variety of media formats, including interactive lessons with engaging student activities
We the People (Michelle & Barack Obama, Executive Producers) (Low Intermediate - Advanced ESOL): series of 10 short (4-5 min) musical informative videos about civic engagement topics (Active Citizenship, The Bill of Rights, Taxes, 3 Branches of Government, The First Amendment, Federal Vs State Power, Immigration, The Courts, We the People) (teacher must have Netflix account to sign in & share with students)
Stories from the Stage: (Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) An award-winning WORLD Channel original series featuring live storytelling broadcast weekly on public television on a range of topics with a diverse array of storytellers.
Cast your Vote: Voters and candidates face challenges that require creative thinking, integrity, and courage.
Good Kind of Trouble: Stories about standing up against unfair conditions in a variety of situations.
Andy Vargas's Story (1:30): Dominican college graduate is inspired to run for city council by his politically activated family.
StoryCorps: (High beginner - Intermediate ESOL) An archive of StoryCorps interviews, including animated excerpts for many, that help "build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world." Collections Recommended stories focused on civic engagement include:
Silvia's Legacy (Ellaraino & Baki Annur) animated: inspiring story of a grandmother who learns to read at 85
Lessons Learned (Dr. William Lynn Weaver) animated: recollection of the successful educational journey of one of the first black students in an integrated school
Philadelphia Poll Worker Supports Her Community, and Inspires Daughter to Do the Same (Cherie DeBrest and Naima DeBrest)
Reflections on 60 Years of Civil Rights Activism (Dion Diamond)
They Intended to Get All of Us January the 10th, 1966 (Ellie Dahmer and Bettie Dahmer)
Ted-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing: (Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) Ted-Ed lessons, developed by teachers, include selected excerpts of full-length TED Talks, with accompanying discussion and comprehension checks, and may be animated. Recommended lessons in the area of Civic Engagement include:
How to Understand Power (Eric Liu) animated
Gerrymandering: How Drawing Jagged Lines Can Impact an Election (Cristina Greer) animated
Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained (Christina Greer) animated
The Fight for the Right to Vote in the United States (Nicki Beaman Griffin) animated
How is Power Divided in the United States Government? (Belinda Stutzman) animated
What Happened to Trial by Jury? (Suja Thomas) animated
TED Talks: (Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world, dedicated to the sharing of powerful ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. Ted Talks are longer, while Recommended talks related to Civic Engagement include:
Tiana Epps-Johnson: What's Needed to Bring the US Voting System into the 21st Century (Jan 2019)
Sayu Bhojwani: Immigrant Voices Make Democracy Stronger (Sept 2016)
Maria Teresa Kumar: How the New Generation of Latinx Voters Could Change US Elections (Nov 2020)
Stacy Abrams: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself about Everything You Do (Nov 2018)
Michael Tubbs: The Political Power of Being a Good Neighbor (Apr 2019)
Malcolm London: High School Training Ground (May 2013)
Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion (May 2013)
Pearl Arredondo: My Story, from Gangland Daughter to Star Teacher (May 2013)
Angela Lee Duckworth: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (Apr 2013)