Children’s learning through digital technologies: an introduction

Abstract This introductory article sets the scene for this Special Issue on ‘Children’s Learning Through Digital Technologies’. We begin by outlining key issues in this area: the valuable opportunities such technologies offer children to develop English language and other skills; their limited use in primary English classrooms; the relative scarcity of research into 6- to 14-year-olds’ digital activity which generally focuses on just a few research settings. We then introduce the seven Special Issue contributions that explore children’s digital experiences at home and school, teachers’ perceptions, classroom practices, and teaching strategies. The articles also showcase age-appropriate methods for working with children. Finally, we consider some broader implications and challenges of integrating digital technologies into children’s learning. Our aim is for this Special Issue to encourage practitioners and researchers to consider how digital technologies can be used and studied in their own young learner contexts.