Civic skills need to be practiced to keep the democracy strong, and civic training materials should be exciting and linked to real-world activities. Today, teaching government and social studies can be, must be, about students' real lives. A unit of study on "Tracking Congress" would offer an opportunity to connect civics and government…

This article stresses the need for consumer education in providing instruction which deals with real-life problems. (CD)

Training of citizen advocates should include legal rights and remedies; how to get information from corporations and governments; freedom of information laws; use of media; and how to write letters to editors and public officials. Adult educators can help create networks for sharing experience in dealing with community problems. (SK)

Public Interest Research Groups on college campuses and a clearinghouse on academic research projects in the public interest sponsored by the Center for Study of Responsive Law are described. They expose students to government procedures and social problem analysis as a means of encouraging students to become active citizens. (JMF)