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

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.

The survey found that more than 80 percent of those with limited English proficiency had attempted to learn English. The survey was conducted in Spanish, Arabic and Russian, was based on 229 face-to-face interviews, focus groups with 82 participants and phone interviews with 38 employers.

"It's simply difficult, and it takes time to learn a language," said Bill Crim, director of strategic initiatives and public policy for United Way. "People are working so hard to survive they don't have time. Their work demands are the most significant barrier."

Crim said it's critical to mold instruction around the learner's primary goals. The survey found those goals are job advancement and greater financial stability.

Like immigrants in the survey, Runco and his wife, Marisa, say they're learning primarily to grow their businesses. They're both self-employed, Jose Runco as a remodeler and Marisa Runco as a housekeeper. But it goes beyond money.

"It's very important for school, my children, the doctor, the market. Everything," Jose Runco said.

Both agree it is difficult to find the time to study a foreign language. The couple has three children, ages 11, 17 and 19.

"It's hard, the nouns, the verbs," said Runco. "It's very, very hard."

While he reverts back to Spanish from time to time, and is still working on proper grammar structure, Runco, who has been taking classes for two months, is able to hold a conversation in English.