Digital devices have been increasingly integrated into language learning environments, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing literature, focusing predominantly on dominant languages like English, presents mixed findings on the effectiveness of digital resources for language learning. Few studies address heritage languages, which often have limited resources beyond the home and may depend more on digital tools for support. This longitudinal, mixed-methods study investigated the impact of digital device use on heritage language learning among Chinese–Canadian families. We examined the relationship between digital device use and Chinese receptive vocabulary among 128 first graders, 137 second graders, and 66 third graders over three years. Additionally, we conducted parental interviews with 42 focal families for three years to explore the evolving patterns of digital resource use at home. Our findings revealed a statistically significant positive impact of digital device use on Chinese receptive vocabulary development among first and second graders, while no significant effects were observed in third graders. The analyses of parental interviews uncovered increased digital use, diversity of resources, positive parental attitudes, and digital literacy among families from grades 1 to 2 but decreased digital use and parental enthusiasm in the third grade due to health and addiction concerns, reinforcing the quantitative results. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study offers a unique perspective on how families’ digital device use for heritage languages changed before, during, and after the pandemic. The findings offer valuable insights for families and educators to better support heritage language learners with digital resources.

This mixed-methods study investigates the impact of digital devices use at home on early English literacy development among 121 Chinese-Canadian first graders, as well as their parents’ perspectives on the families’ purposes and practices of digital devices use for English literacy, highlighting bilingual children’s experiences with multiple digital devices. To understand the relationships between the children’s digital practices and early English literacy development, we collected quantitative data on children’s English literacy skills—including reading comprehension, decoding, and receptive vocabulary—alongside frequency data on digital devices use including those on computer use and television viewing. Parents of 66 children participated in interviews, providing context-specific insights into devices use purposes and language learning practices. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests to examine group differences. Hierarchical linear regression explored associations between digital devices use and early English literacy outcomes, while thematic analysis identified patterns from parental interviews. Results indicate a positive association between controlled television exposure and receptive vocabulary. However, no significant relationship was observed between television or computer use and decoding or reading comprehension. Findings emphasize the multifaceted but limited role of digital devices, with parents struggling to balance educational benefits and long-term concerns.

Researchers have explored a host of individual differences factors that may be critical to language development. However, evidence on the impact of sociocultural and demographic factors such as gender and socioeconomic status (SES) on early language development among bilingual children has been limited. This study aimed to understand the role of gender and SES variables in early English reading development among Chinese-English bilinguals in the Canadian context. Chinese-Canadian children (N = 143) in grade 1 and grade 2 were investigated by assessing their early English reading skills, including receptive vocabulary, letter and word recognition, and reading comprehension. The descriptive statistics revealed a gender difference in favor of girls in all three tests and the children from low-SES families scored lower in all reading-related skills across grades. Multivariate analysis of variance results further evidenced the robustness of SES in affecting early reading development, as significant effects of SES were found in receptive vocabulary in grade 1 and all three tests in grade 2.

This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on public school students' achievement by collecting and analyzing the two-year test results from the Foundational Skills Assessment, a province-wide standardized test administered annually in British Columbia, Canada. Multilevel modeling was conducted to analyze whether the impact of COVID-19 correlated with local school district demographics, including the percentage of indigenous students, the percentage of students with special needs, and the median household income. The results revealed that the impact of COVID-19 on students’ literacy and numeracy achievement was associated with the percentage of students with special needs and median household incomes in the local school districts. Implications of the findings for postpandemic revitalization were discussed.