The struggle to habla Ingles: Learning to speak English is daunting task for many

Another story that shows how wrong people are who insist the immigrants don't want to learn English. DP

By Deborah Bulkeley, Deseret Morning News

deseretnews.com: After up to 10 hours at work, Jose Runco struggles to stay alert during his English class.

"After work, I am tired," he says. "The teacher says, 'Please, don't sleep."'

But despite his exhaustion, the Uruguay native attends classes at Horizonte Instruction and Training Center three evenings each week, eager to "understand more and more."

Like Runco, most immigrants and refugees want — and try — to learn English, according to a report by the United Way of Salt Lake, but they often fail because of barriers such as time constraints.

The new report, "Building on Common Ground: A Framework for Immigrant Integration," finds that immigrants and refugees recognize the importance of speaking English to achieve financial stability. It also calls English a key component for immigrants to be able to integrate into their new communities.

However, the survey conducted by de la Cruz and Associates found that the immigrants often face barriers such as a lack of time because of family or work schedules. Some said it's too difficult to learn or that they can't find child care.
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