The big dip: What is it and how can you tackle it?

Every school has likely noticed it — the big dip in student engagement that tends to occur between Years 7 and 9. This dip, where students become more distracted or withdrawn, is a major concern for educators, as it can negatively affect both academic performance and classroom behaviour. Tackling this dip is essential to ensure students stay engaged, motivated, and on track academically.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What is the big dip
• 4 practical tips to help tackle student engagement dips
• How Atomi can help foster engaged classrooms

What is the big dip?

The big dip refers to the decrease in student engagement that often happens between Years 7 and 9. Research, including a NSW Department of Education study tracking nearly 8,000 students, highlights a steady decline in both academic motivation and engagement during this time.

In fact, data from the Middle Years Engagement Project indicates that the engagement drop between Year 7 and Year 9 can be as high as 20% in some schools, with student focus and interest declining as early as Year 8. Additionally, a Gallup Student Poll revealed that student engagement drops from 75% in Year 5 to just 58% by Year 8, showing how prevalent this dip is across the school years.

Several factors contribute to this dip. Hormonal changes during adolescence play a significant role, affecting students’ moods and decision-making abilities. Social dynamics also shift, with peer groups becoming more important and often diverting attention from academic pursuits.

These middle years are also often viewed by students as less important, as Year 7 involves heavy support during the transition from primary school, and Year 10 sees students begin focusing on subject selection for their final years.

Research from the UK-based Education Endowment Foundation shows that students in years 7-9 struggle with motivational challenges due to feeling like they’re less important. This aligns with findings from the Middle Years Engagement Project, where 41% of students report feeling disconnected from their studies, leading to reduced academic outcomes.

4 Practical tips to help tackle the dip

As an educator, tackling the engagement dip requires a combination of strategies that address both the emotional and academic needs of students. 

By focusing on building connections, supporting academic growth, and making learning exciting and relevant, teachers can help students overcome this challenging phase. Below are four practical ways educators can help tackle the dip in student engagement.

Tip 1. Building rapport

Building a strong connection with students can have a huge impact on engagement levels. When students feel comfortable and understood by their teachers, they are more likely to engage with classwork.

One way to build rapport is by humanising yourself as a teacher. Share your own problem-solving process and challenges with students, making it clear that everyone has difficulties, and that it’s okay to make mistakes. This can help students relate to you and feel more comfortable taking on difficult tasks. 

Additionally, integrating creative, collaborative activities into your lessons can offer students a chance to engage in something fun while building a connection with their peers and you.

Building rapport with students is essential. When students feel comfortable and understood by their teachers, they are more likely to engage with classwork.
- Sarah-Eleni Zaferis, Teacher and School Enablement Leader at Atomi

For more tips on making lessons interactive and engaging, check out this guide to using Atomi to design interactive lessons.

Tip 2. Supporting academic success

Supporting students academically during this dip is about striking the right balance between encouragement and challenge. Research suggests that students given consistent scaffolding but gradually encouraged to take on more challenging tasks independently, show higher academic resilience.

Scaffolding is an effective strategy to help students feel less overwhelmed by difficult tasks. In fact, NSW’s updated research on teaching practices confirms that explicit teaching where students are shown exactly what to do, leads to greater learning gains, particularly for disengaged students. As Sarah-Eleni iterates:

The earlier we start building these habits, the better. Things like taking good notes, summarising after class, and establishing consistent study habits are key.

On the other hand, it’s important to recognise when to remove scaffolding for students who are ready for more challenging material. Encouraging independent problem-solving for these students can help push them academically and keep them engaged.

Additionally, linking coursework to real-world contexts that resonate with students can boost both engagement and learning. If you can draw connections to things that students care about — whether that’s sports, popular culture, or current events — it can make learning more relevant and interesting for them.

Tip 3. Engaging and exciting students

Keeping students engaged during the dip can sometimes feel like a challenge. One way to counter this is by offering flexibility in how they learn. Differentiated tasks where students can choose from a range of activities that suit their interests and strengths can reignite their enthusiasm for learning.

Research shows that students who are given more responsibility and autonomy over their learning process, like in countries such as Canada, tend to exhibit increased motivation and engagement. This suggests that providing students with greater control over their learning can be a key strategy in reducing disengagement during the crucial middle years.

For example, providing a choice board with various tasks that allow students to work at their own pace and focus on areas they enjoy can be particularly effective.

Similarly, project-based learning activities, such as cross-curricular projects or “Shark Tank” style challenges, offer students an opportunity to work creatively and collaboratively, making learning feel more dynamic and fun.

Tip 4. Creating a supportive link between school, students, and home

Maintaining a strong connection between school, students, and home life is crucial for combating disengagement. Research from the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth indicates that when parents engage in their child’s learning, both in and out of school, it leads to improved academic outcomes, attendance, and behaviour. Open communication with parents and caregivers can help extend the support network for students who may be struggling.

Providing parents with specific, actionable questions to ask their children about school can help deepen the conversation and uncover areas where students may need more support. Simple direct questions like, “What’s one thing that made you smile today?” or “What’s a challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?” can be more effective than a general “How was your day?”

How Atomi can help

Atomi’s platform is designed to address the engagement challenges many students face. With its ability to track student progress, provide personalised feedback, and keep students accountable, Atomi ensures that students remain engaged and on task. With curriculum-specific content, interactive lessons, and real-time feedback, the platform helps students stay focused on key takeaways that drive both engagement and academic success.

If you’re looking for practical ways to tackle the dip in student engagement and keep your classroom motivated, try Atomi’s comprehensive Classroom Connection Toolkit. 

Packed with an introductory guide, a parent’s guide to online learning, templates, activities like cross-curricular projects, and tools such as choice challenges, this toolkit is designed to support both educators and students, helping you create a more engaging and effective learning environment.

Download the toolkit now or get started with Atomi for free.

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