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Learning English as an adult is difficult and takes several years under any circumstances. Typically, newly arrived immigrants and refugees live, work and socialize with others who share the same first language, thus having few opportunities to speak with native English speakers in their daily lives. Without regular practice with native English speakers it is almost impossible to achieve fluency.
School districts offer adult English as a Second Language classes but many adults find the classes do not meet their needs or are impractical. The primary reasons for this are that classes are often large (20 or more) and are at fixed times and locations. The first language, educational background and short term goals of the students are extremely varied. Thus, the material is likely to be too advanced for some students and too basic for others, while the opportunity for the student to practice speaking English with the teacher is limited. The second factor excludes many students who work variable shifts or have childcare or transportation problems.
The English Skills Learning Center is unique in offering the realistic alternative of arranging instruction which meets the specific needs of each student in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our ESL program operates on a minimal budget with a very small staff and an outstanding core of trained and dedicated volunteers.