More than an English School: A look at the Lives of Immigrants in Northern Utah

Abstract

The state of Utah has traditionally been viewed as a homogenous state with a dominant religion and small percentage of minorities (Kontuly, Smith, and Heaton 1995). Logan, Utah, in the northeastern most part of the state and the location of the study presented in this paper, is no different. According to the most recent data found in the American Community Survey of 2014, overall diversity has increased greatly in Logan in recent years. Some of this accelerating diversity is due to an increase in immigrant populations who are choosing Utah as their U.S. destination. With immigrant populations increasing, it is important to look at services available that help these new residents adapt to their new environment. The ethnographic study presented in this paper took place at one of the community organizations dedicated to assisting immigrants in their cultural adaptation processes by providing English language classes to adults, The English Language Center (ELC). This paper analyses how such an organization provides much more than English language learning to new immigrants in the Valley. It is home to a broader support network in which students openly discuss their challenges to adapting to life in Logan. This qualitative research presents insight in to the diverse adaptation strategies different immigrants employ to negotiate their new environment