WASHINGTON — A new federal grant will help Brigham Young University develop ways to improve instruction for students learning to speak English, said Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded a grant of $299,035 to BYU's Department of Teacher Education from the English Language Acquisition: National Professional Development Program.

"In a global economy, the ability to communicate in multiple languages is vital to maintaining America's competitive edge," Cannon said. "It is equally important to ensure that immigrants coming to this country learn English. BYU has a world renowned reputation for language education and I am confident there are few institutions in the world that could do more with this grant."

The program creates professional development activities intended to improve instruction for students with limited English proficiency and assists education personnel working with such children to meet high professional standards.

The office of English Language Acquisition provides national leadership to help English language learners and immigrant students attain English proficiency and achieve academically and assists in building the nation's capacity in critical foreign languages.

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education Web site at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html.