In this study, we examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s language development and experiences, particularly focusing on a socioeconomically disadvantaged population of Spanish–English emergent bilinguals. Using propensity score matching, we compared first- and third-grade children in the pandemic ( n = 73) and pre-pandemic ( n = 73) cohorts across multiple dimensions of language skills and experiences. Results revealed no significant differences between cohorts in English and Spanish language proficiency measures, English reading abilities, language experiences in school, relative English experience at home, or reading frequency, after correction for multiple comparisons. However, pandemic-cohort children demonstrated enhanced benefits from increased English and Spanish language experience in English language and literacy skills than their peers in the pre-pandemic cohort. The observed differential effects of English and Spanish experience between cohorts suggest potential compensatory mechanisms in language learning during disrupted formal education.
Shen et al. (Thu,) studied this question.