Re-Engaging Students Post-Pandemic: What’s Working in 2025

The last few years have transformed the way high school English classrooms function. Between the sudden shift to remote learning, the surge of educational technology, and the arrival of powerful AI tools, teachers in 2025 are navigating an entirely new landscape. Yet one question remains at the heart of English Language Arts (ELA): how do we go about re-engaging Students post-pandemic and bring them back into meaningful, authentic learning experiences? Here are four practices that are making a real difference this year.

1. Balancing Technology with Human Engagement

Technology has become an essential tool in education, but relying too heavily on screens risks disengagement and passivity. Teachers are finding success by blending digital tools with face-to-face interaction. For instance, an English teacher might use a collaborative platform like Padlet to allow students to share quick responses to a reading, then move the discussion into small groups where students must elaborate and challenge one another’s thinking. This approach allows technology to serve as a springboard rather than a replacement for authentic dialogue.

Another effective strategy is using multimedia assignments that encourage creativity. Instead of a traditional essay on Romeo and Juliet, a teacher may allow students to create a short video adaptation of a scene, then use class time to discuss how different interpretations shape our understanding of Shakespeare. Students become more invested when they see that their voices and ideas matter, whether through a digital medium or a live conversation. By treating technology as a tool for expression rather than an end in itself, teachers are reigniting engagement while still building critical academic skills.

2. Verifying Student Work in the Age of AI

With tools like ChatGPT and AI-powered essay writers, teachers face new challenges in ensuring student work reflects authentic learning. In 2025, the solution isn’t about banning AI altogether—it’s about designing assessments that make authenticity visible. Many ELA teachers are turning to process-based assessments where students must show their thinking every step of the way. For example, rather than just submitting a polished essay, students might submit brainstorming notes, a handwritten outline, a rough draft, and a final version with tracked changes. This creates a transparent writing process that demonstrates learning.

Oral defenses are another growing practice. After completing a written response, students may sit with their teacher for a five-minute conversation where they explain their reasoning, justify their evidence, and reflect on their writing choices. This not only verifies ownership but also builds confidence in students’ ability to articulate their ideas clearly. In-class “quick writes” are also being used to confirm student voice. Teachers may ask students to write for ten minutes on a related topic without access to devices. The resulting work helps teachers identify authentic writing patterns, which can be compared to longer assignments.

By shifting the focus away from just the final product and toward the journey of writing and thinking, teachers are building integrity into their classrooms and helping students value the learning process itself.

3. Teaching the Ethics of AI

AI is here to stay, and ELA teachers are recognizing that banning it only sidelines an important conversation. Instead, classrooms are becoming spaces to explore the ethics of AI and its role in communication. A high school teacher might introduce a lesson where students compare a human-written literary analysis with one generated by AI. The class can then evaluate which one uses stronger evidence, conveys original insight, or shows deeper engagement with the text. This sparks critical discussions about what makes human thinking valuable.

Students are also engaging with questions of bias in AI. For instance, a teacher might use AI to generate sample character analyses from a novel and then ask students to critique whether stereotypes or inaccuracies appear in the text. These conversations open opportunities for media literacy, social responsibility, and critical thinking all at once. Some teachers even ask students to co-write with AI, then reflect on how the tool influenced their voice or ideas. Rather than being afraid of AI, students are learning to treat it as both a resource and a topic of inquiry.

This integration of ethics and practice is helping students prepare for a future where they will need to navigate AI thoughtfully, responsibly, and with a clear sense of their own voice.

4. Reviving the Power of Handwriting

In an unexpected shift, many schools are reintroducing handwriting as a way to deepen comprehension and reflection. Research shows that writing by hand activates different parts of the brain, improving retention and focus. Teachers are using this knowledge to craft meaningful practices that reconnect students with slower, more deliberate thinking.

For example, some teachers are asking students to keep handwritten reading journals. Each day, students write a brief reflection or response to a text in a notebook, allowing them to connect more personally with the material. Others encourage students to draft essay introductions by hand before transferring them to a digital format. This slows down the process, making students more intentional with word choice and structure. Letter-writing assignments are also resurfacing in many ELA classrooms. Students might write a letter to a character in To Kill a Mockingbird or compose a reflective note to themselves about how a story’s theme connects to their own life. These tasks encourage empathy, imagination, and careful composition.

Teachers report that students are often surprised by how much more they retain when handwriting is part of the process. It also provides a refreshing break from screens, which can reduce digital fatigue and help students re-engage in class with renewed focus.

Looking Ahead

Re-engaging students post-pandemic isn’t about discarding technology or returning fully to “the old ways.” Instead, it’s about balance—using the best of both worlds. When English classrooms embrace digital innovation while also reviving timeless practices like dialogue, reflection, and handwriting, they create spaces where students feel both challenged and supported. In 2025, this balance is what’s helping students reconnect with learning, rediscover their own voices, and build the adaptability they will need to thrive in an unpredictable world.