Engaging Disengaged Students: Digital Solutions That Work

Student disengagement is one of the toughest challenges schools are currently facing. When learners withdraw from classroom activities, attendance falls and future pathways narrow. Digital tools might not fix all problems, but when selected and used intentionally they can help reconnect students to learning. Below we outline practical approaches that work and show how ReadCloud supports each one in classroom practice.

Why engagement matters

Classroom engagement is closely linked to academic performance. Education NSW summaries of the evidence suggest that even small lifts in engagement can align with meaningful gains, with a 1-percentage-point increase associated with around a 6-point improvement in reading and an 8-point improvement in maths.

They also highlight a common challenge in secondary years. Student confidence and participation tend to drop, boredom is frequent, and relatively few students regularly ask questions, which can signal classrooms skewing too heavily towards passive learning. Approaches that increase active participation, such as more time spent on practice and discussion, and structured project-based learning, can help lift motivation and engagement.

Teacher expectations and classroom culture matter too, and engagement gaps are often wider for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, which makes targeted supports important. Many students also report that technology-based learning can improve engagement when it is used deliberately to make learning more interactive, accessible, and connected to classroom goals.

The future of teaching

The future of teaching is personalised and data informed. Rather than one lesson for the whole class, effective teachers increasingly design learning journeys that adapt to each student’s readiness, interests and strengths. Lessons combine short, targeted digital practice to identify gaps, adaptive content that adjusts pace and difficulty, and teacher‑led small groups for rich discussion and application. This blend keeps learning rigorous while making it more relevant and motivating for each learner.

Start with the cause and a focused plan

Students disengage for many reasons: learning gaps, language barriers, lack of relevance to future goals, social and emotional issues, or simply limited access to resources. Before choosing tools, talk with teachers, students and parents to identify the main causes in your context. That diagnosis will guide which digital approach to pilot and what success looks like.

ReadCloud makes it easy to run focused pilots by quickly allocating digital textbook licences to selected classes or year levels, monitor resource access and track engagement from day one. This makes pilots low risk and evidence driven.

Streamlined access to classroom content  

Why it helps

Engagement and equity are harder to sustain when students do not have reliable access to core materials. Delivery delays, customs processes and stock shortages can create avoidable barriers. A digital-first approach ensures every student can access the same curriculum resources at the same time, supporting continuity and allowing teachers to begin lessons with everyone on the same page.  

Real-life example: By adopting to a digital textbook model, King’s InterHigh, an online international school with students in more than 60 countries, provided immediate reliable access to curriculum materials for its global cohort. The result was a more consistent and inclusive learning experience across locations and time zones.

Anthony Peters, Head of Educational Technology at Inspired Online Schools, has noted that the introduction of eBooks simplified resource access, reduced resourcing administrative workload and improved accessibility for students.

How ReadCloud helps

ReadCloud provides a centralised digital platform that enables schools to allocate curriculum resources instantly, integrate with existing LMS systems and support diverse learning needs through built-in language and accessibility tools.

Quick classroom use

Allocate digital resources at the start of term and enable accessibility features to ensure all students can access core content from day one.

Bite-sized adaptive practice with instant feedback

Why it helps

Students who find tasks too hard or irrelevant quickly lose confidence. Adaptive practice presents small, scaffolded tasks and gives immediate feedback, helping students experience steady progress and regain momentum.

Real-life example: In a Year 9 maths class, a small group stopped attempting work after repeatedly getting fractions wrong. The teacher introduced a 10-minute start-of-lesson routine with 5 scaffolded questions and immediate checks. Students then used the textbook worked example to fix one mistake and explain the correction. Within a few weeks, completion rates improved and the same students were more willing to attempt the main task because they had an achievable “first win” each lesson.

How ReadCloud helps

ReadCloud integrates with adaptive practice tools and makes it easy to assign targeted modules or chapters to specific classes or students.  

Quick classroom use

Run a 10–15 minute adaptive warm‑up each lesson and use annotations to plan small‑group follow up.

Project and interest-led digital learning

Why it helps

Students reengage when their work matters. Project‑based learning linked to student interests gives choice and relevance, and digital tools let students create and publish work for real audiences.

Real-life example: A Year 8 English class had low participation in a novel study. The teacher reframed the unit into a two-week project where students chose a theme (identity, power, belonging) and created a short multimedia piece for a real audience, such as a school assembly clip or a class blog post. Students who rarely contributed in discussion took ownership of roles like scripting, sourcing evidence, and editing, because the final product felt public and purposeful, not just another worksheet.

How ReadCloud helps

ReadCloud’s Content Manager and eReader support teachers to design and deliver multimedia projects. Teachers can upload and curate templates, distribute resources and share research links in one central platform, ensuring students have structured access to interesting and relevant materials while maintaining appropriate publishing permissions.

Quick classroom use

Run a two-week multimedia project aligned to a student interest area and publish teacher-created resources to the class cloud.

Accessibility and language supports that remove barriers

Why it helps

Students disengage when they cannot access content due to literacy, language or learning differences.

Real-life example: In a Year 7 humanities class, an EAL student and a student with reading difficulties were disengaging during textbook reading because they could not access the language fast enough. The teacher enabled read-aloud and adjusted font size, then provided a scaffolded version of the same text with key vocabulary supported. Both students were able to complete the same inquiry questions as the class and started contributing more confidently because they could actually access the core content.

How ReadCloud helps

ReadCloud’s immersive eReader includes read‑aloud, font sizing and translation tools to make texts more accessible. Teachers can provide scaffolded versions quickly without extra workload.

Quick classroom use

Enable read‑aloud and larger fonts for students who need them and share scaffolded texts via ReadCloud.

Checklist to start a reengagement pilot

• Identify a priority cohort or class

• Choose one digital strategy to pilot for eight weeks

• Confirm device and network readiness and single sign‑on where possible

• Run a 60‑minute practical PD for staff before rollout

• Review outcomes weekly and scale what works

ReadCloud can provide a tailored readiness checklist and PD plan for your team.

Measuring success and next steps

• Track a short set of indicators:

• Task completion and platform usage rates

• Improvements in formative assessment scores

• Teacher time reallocated to small‑group teaching

• Student confidence and engagement feedback

A one term or three‑month pilot gives a clear evidence base for scaling. ReadCloud’s analytics and content workflows make these measures straightforward to capture.

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To conclude

Reengaging students is complex but achievable. Small, evidence‑led digital interventions combined with targeted teacher action can build confidence, increase participation and improve outcomes. ReadCloud supports schools with the tools, integrations and professional learning to pilot and scale these approaches. Explore ReadCloud tools and approaches to reengage learners, contact Readcloud!

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