TITLE:
What Are the Limitations of Digital Learning Resources in Primary School English Reading? Insights from Teachers and Students in China
AUTHORS:
Caixia Zhang, Yuanyuan Shi
KEYWORDS:
Primary English Reading, Digital Learning Resources, Technology-Enhanced Learning, Teacher and Student Perspectives, Qualitative Study
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.4,
April
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Although digital learning resources are widely promoted in primary education, empirical evidence explaining how and why they function unevenly in English reading instruction remains limited, particularly from the combined perspectives of teachers and students. This qualitative study investigates the use of digital learning resources in primary school English reading classrooms in Jiangsu Province, China, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 10 English teachers and 15 Grade 5 and Grade 6 students. Thematic analysis reveals a persistent gap between generally positive attitudes toward digital resources and their limited pedagogical impact on reading development. Teachers demonstrate divergent instructional orientations ranging from deep pedagogical integration to basic adaptive use, while students’ preferences vary by grade level between situational engagement and exam-oriented support. The effective enactment of digital resources is further constrained by contextual factors, including disparities in infrastructure, unstable platforms, and uneven family access. Although most digital resources are well aligned with textbook content, their limited adaptability and fragmented functionality increase instructional and cognitive burdens, resulting in strong support for surface-level learning outcomes but restricted contributions to higher-order reading comprehension. This study extends understandings of technology-enhanced reading instruction and highlights conditions where digital resources can effectively support primary English literacy development.