Teachers have warned that the rapid adoption of AI is reshaping how students learn, eroding basic skills like writing, spelling, problem-solving, and critical thinking, while raising questions about motivation, human interaction, and equity, writes Faustine Ngila in Impact Newswire, reporting on a new report.
Pupils in England are showing signs of declining critical thinking and writing skills as the use of artificial intelligence spreads in classrooms, according to a new survey of secondary school teachers.
The poll, conducted by the National Education Union of more than 9,000 state school teachers, found that two-thirds of respondents had noticed a drop in students’ core abilities, including problem-solving and creativity, as well as basic literacy skills affected by voice-to-text technology.
“Students are losing core skills – thinking, creativity, writing, even how to have a conversation,” one teacher said. Another added, “AI is destroying what ‘learning’ – problem-solving, critical thinking and collaborative effort – is.”
A third anonymous contributor noted: “Children no longer feel the need to spell as voice-to-text replaces knowledge.”
The findings come as the British government has pushed for a digital revolution in education, including plans announced in January to develop AI tutoring tools that could provide one-to-one learning support for up to 450,000 disadvantaged students.
Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said at the time: “AI tutoring tools have the potential to transform access to tailored support for young people, taking tutoring from a privilege of the lucky few, to every child who needs it – so all children can achieve and thrive.”
Despite these ambitions, the survey shows skepticism among teachers.
About 49 percent of respondents said they opposed the government’s plan for AI tutors, while just 14 percent supported it.
Teachers expressed concern that AI could be used to cut costs and undermine the value of human instruction. “Students who need tutors often need more than academic support. AI will not give them that,” one respondent said. Another said, “Students will not be motivated by an AI tutor,” while a third added, “Disadvantaged students need human interaction for tutoring rather than AI so that social skills can be enhanced and social isolation reduced.”
Although teachers are wary of AI in classrooms, many are increasingly relying on the technology in their own work. The survey found that 76 percent of teachers use AI for day-to-day tasks, up from 53 percent last year.
Most often, it is used to create resources, plan lessons, or manage administrative work. Only 7 percent said they use AI for grading. Yet the report highlighted gaps in guidance and policy: 49 percent of schools have no rules governing AI use for staff or students, and 66 percent have no policy specifically for students.
“Staff are not trained to use it properly, but are using it and it’s producing sub-standard slop,” one comment read. Another said, “If used correctly, AI can be a valuable educational tool; regulation and guidance is needed, and training and policies should be in place in every school for staff and students.”
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said the survey underscores the importance of students retaining independent thinking skills. “Students must be able to think for themselves. This is at the heart of learning, but our survey shows a reliance on AI is having an effect on students’ ability to think critically. The profession is far from convinced that AI tutors are a magic bullet for closing opportunity gaps for disadvantaged students. The government is taking a risk in rolling out AI tutoring before its impacts are properly understood.”
A government spokesperson defended the plans, emphasising the potential of AI to expand educational opportunities.
“Our mission is to break the link between background and success, and the introduction of AI tutoring tools can help make that a reality – expanding the tailored support that is often only available to a privileged few to every child who needs it. No technology should replace the foundations of core knowledge and disciplinary thinking that prepares pupils for later life. But we also have to prepare children for a digitally enabled world. That’s why our schools white paper sets out a clear plan to ensure AI is used safely, critically and responsibly – so every young person can achieve and thrive.”
