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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence, No. 3. 2026. Pp.55-72
Department of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences,
University of Khorfakkan, Sharjah, UAE
The rapid integration of ChatGPT into English language classrooms has introduced a troubling pedagogical shift in which learners increasingly outsource cognitive effort to artificial intelligence, bypassing processes of intellectual struggle, retention, and independent language development. This article critically examines how generative artificial intelligence, while often celebrated for accessibility and linguistic support, can foster learner dependency and undermine the development of sustained cognitive engagement. Drawing on extended classroom observations and reflective teaching practice within a United Arab Emirates higher education context, the study identifies recurring patterns of disengagement, superficial linguistic understanding, and a growing reluctance to grapple with language complexity. These behaviors are conceptualized through the notion of the Brat Brain, a metaphor used to describe a learner mindset that resists effort and critical thinking, demands instant solutions, and privileges convenience over intellectual growth. Rather than asking how to improve their writing or speaking, students increasingly question why such effort is necessary when artificial intelligence can produce faster and seemingly superior outputs. Reframing artificial intelligence use through the good, the bad, and the (educationally) evil, the article offers a critical lens for evaluating both the affordances and the unintended consequences of artificial fluency in language education. The study’s significance lies in its contribution to current debates on artificial intelligence in education by highlighting the pedagogical risks of uncritical adoption and arguing for a recalibration of instructional practices grounded in critical digital literacy, intellectual responsibility, and human-centered learning.
Wardak, M. (2026). The Brat Brain: ChatGPT and the Crisis of Intellectual Effort in Language Education. Arab World English Journal, Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence, (3): 55-72
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Dr. Masuda Wardak is an Assistant Professor and English language educator with experience across ESL, EFL, ESOL, and EAP. She serves as Head of the English Language Division at the University of Khorfakkan. Her research focuses on technology integration, teacher identity, and bilingual education in higher-education contexts. She has published and presented on innovative pedagogies and the impact of generative AI and ChatGPT on EFL instruction.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0262-6942