Improving English Oral Proficiency: A Comparison of Online and Conventional English Teaching for Non-Native University Learners

Authors

  • Yongge Zhang

    Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts/Centre for Education and Sustainable Development Strategies, INTI International University, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  • Hariharan N Krishnasamy

    Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts/Centre for Education and Sustainable Development Strategies, INTI International University, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  • Ye Tian

    Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts/Centre for Education and Sustainable Development Strategies, INTI International University, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  • Gopal Prasad Pandey

    Department of English Education, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal
  • Ashok Kumar

    Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Mohan Babu University, Tirupathi 517102, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i12.12056
Received: 11 September 2025 | Revised: 13 October 2025 | Accepted: 17 October 2025 | Published Online: 20 November 2025

Abstract

This study explores student perceptions of online versus conventional English teaching effectiveness methodologies on oral proficiency development among Chinese non-native university learners, addressing the critical need for evidence based pedagogical approaches and instructional strategies in contemporary language education. A mixed-methods pilot investigation was conducted with 30 first-year Chinese university students using four validated measurement instruments assessing oral proficiency, online learning experiences, conventional learning experiences, and student engagement. Data analysis employed independent samples t-tests, effect size calculations using Cohen's d, and correlation analysis to examine differential teaching effectiveness patterns. Online learning demonstrated superior effectiveness in developing pronunciation clarity (d = 0.78, large effect) and vocabulary appropriateness (d = 0.74, medium-large effect), while conventional classroom instruction showed significant advantages in spontaneous response generation (d = −0.67, medium effect) and face-to-face communication competence (d = −0.89, large effect). Engagement-proficiency correlations varied substantially across instructional modalities, indicating different psychological and pedagogical mechanisms. The differential effectiveness patterns reveal complementary rather than competitive relationships between online teaching platforms and traditional instruction, supporting integrated pedagogical frameworks that leverage technological advantages for technical skill development alongside interpersonal benefits for authentic communicative competence. Findings inform curriculum design strategies incorporating interactive digital tools, gamified learning modules, and self-assessment functions within comprehensive pedagogical frameworks, while providing guidance for individualized learning modality selection based on targeted learning outcomes, specific skill development objectives, and student characteristics.

Keywords:

English Oral Proficiency; Online Learning; Conventional Classroom Instruction; Non-Native University Learners; Comparative Teaching Effectiveness

References

[1] Zheng, S., 2022. [Retracted] An Analysis and Research on Chinese College Students’ Psychological Barriers in Oral English Output from a Cross-Cultural Perspective. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2022(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2862727

[2] Zhang, H., Bournot-Trites, M., 2021. The Long-Term Washback Effects of the National Matriculation English Test on College English Learning in China: Tertiary Student Perspectives. Studies in Educational Evaluation. 68, 100977.

[3] Chen, S., Zhao, J., de Ruiter, L., et al., 2022. A Burden or a Boost: The Impact of Early Childhood English Learning Experience on Lower Elementary English and Chinese Achievement. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 25(4), 1212–1229. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2020.1749230

[4] Alhendi, O., Dávid, L.D., Fodor, G., et al., 2021. The Impact of Language and Quality Education on Regional and Economic Development: A Study of 99 Countries. Regional Statistics. 11(1), 42–57.

[5] Li, D., 2022. A Review of Academic Literacy Research Development: From 2002 to 2019. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education. 7(1), 5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-021-00133-3

[6] Liew, H.S., Aziz, A.A., 2022. Systematic Review on Speaking Skill Teaching Approaches in the ESL/EFL Classroom: Before and During COVID-19. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development. 11(1), 216–234. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v11-i1/12083

[7] Fernández-García, A., Fonseca-Mora, M.C., 2019. EFL Learners’ Speaking Proficiency and Its Connection to Emotional Understanding, Willingness to Communicate and Musical Experience. Language Teaching Research. 26(1), 124–140.

[8] Guerra Ayala, M.J., Reynosa Navarro, E., Durand Gómez, E.L., et al., 2024. Enjoyment and Oral English Proficiency in Future Teachers. Frontiers in Education. 9, 1306080. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1306080

[9] Khan, M.O., Khan, S., 2024. Influence of Online Versus Traditional Learning on EFL Listening Skills: A Blended Mode Classroom Perspective. Heliyon. 10(7), e28510. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28510

[10] Tran, N., Hoang, D.T.N., Gillespie, R., et al., 2024. Enhancing EFL Learners’ Speaking and Listening Skills Through Authentic Online Conversations With Video Conferencing Tools. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching. 1–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2024.2334809

[11] Wang, Y., Chen, P., 2024. An Interest-Driven Creator English Course for Developing Chinese Private College Students’ Listening and Speaking Proficiency Under a Blended Setting. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education. 9(1), 6.

[12] Crompton, H., Edmett, A., Ichaporia, N., et al., 2024. AI and English Language Teaching: Affordances and Challenges. British Journal of Educational Technology. 55(6), 2503–2529.

[13] Du, J., Daniel, B.K., 2024. Transforming Language Education: A Systematic Review of AI-Powered Chatbots for English as a Foreign Language Speaking Practice. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence. 6, 100230. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100230

[14] Wei, L., 2023. Artificial Intelligence in Language Instruction: Impact on English Learning Achievement, L2 Motivation, and Self-Regulated Learning. Frontiers in Psychology. 14, 1261955. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1261955

[15] Rahmawati, E., Herlina, H., Lustyantie, N., 2025. Unleashing English-Speaking Proficiency: The Role of Academic Environment, Technology, and Linguistic Adaptability Evidence from Indonesia. Social Sciences & Humanities Open. 12, 101821. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101821

[16] Wu, R., 2023. The Relationship between Online Learning Self-Efficacy, Informal Digital Learning of English, and Student Engagement in Online Classes: The Mediating Role of Social Presence. Frontiers in Psychology. 14, 1266009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1266009

[17] Zhou, Y., 2023. Teaching Mixed Methods Using Active Learning Approaches. Journal of Mixed Methods Research. 17(4), 396–418. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15586898221137686

[18] Hua, C., Wang, J., 2023. Virtual Reality-Assisted Language Learning: A Follow-Up Review (2018–2022). Frontiers in Psychology. 14, 1153642. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1153642

[19] Mohamed, A.M., Nasim, S.M, Aljanada, R., et al., 2023. Lived Experience: Students’ Perceptions of English Language Online Learning Post COVID-19. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. 20(7), 12.

[20] Wang, H., Patterson, M.M., Long, H., 2024. Student Engagement in Foreign Language Learning: Relations With Classroom Goal Structure, Self-Efficacy, and Gender. Frontiers in Education. 9, 1416095.

[21] Li, H., 2025. Impact of Collaborative Learning on Student Engagement in College English Programs: Mediating Effect of Peer Support and Moderating Role of Group Size. Frontiers in Psychology. 16, 1525192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1525192

[22] Amiti, F., 2020. The Importance of Oral Language Proficiency in EFL Online Teaching Setting. Prizren Social Science Journal. 4(2), 103–108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32936/pssj.v4i2.192

[23] Sari, F.M., 2020. Exploring English Learners’ Engagement and Their Roles in the Online Language Course. Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics. 5(3), 349–361.

[24] Deng, Z., Yang, Z., 2025. Exploring the Impact of Online Education on Student Engagement in Higher Education in Post-COVID-19: What Students Want to Get? Frontiers in Psychology. 16, 1574886. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1574886

[25] Riazi, A.M., Farsani, M.A., 2023. Mixed-Methods Research in Applied Linguistics: Charting the Progress Through the Second Decade of the Twenty-First Century. Language Teaching. 57(2), 143–182.

[26] Naushan, A., Rajanthran, S.K., Ali, A., et al., 2024. Influence of Reading Strategies on ESL Students’ Reading Comprehension in Secondary Schools in Malé, Maldives. World Journal of English Language. 14(1), 492–492. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v14n1p492

[27] Li, Y., 2022. Teaching Mode of Oral English in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 953482. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.953482

[28] Ko, H., 2023. English Oral Proficiency Measured by Holistic and Analytic Assessments in Dialogic and Monologic Tasks. English Teaching. 78(1), 63–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.78.1.202303.63

[29] Koç, F.Ş., Savaş, P., 2025. The Use of Artificially Intelligent Chatbots in English Language Learning: A Systematic Meta-Synthesis Study of Articles Published between 2010 and 2024. ReCALL. 37(1), 4–21.

[30] Deng, L., Zhang, L.J., Mohamed, N., 2023. Exploring Native and Non-Native English Speaker Teachers’ Perceptions of English Teacher Qualities and Their Students’ Responses. Frontiers in Psychology. 14, 1175379. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175379

[31] Song, Y., Wei, Y., Shen, Y., et al., 2022. Evaluation of an Online Oral English Teaching Model Using Big Data. Mobile Information Systems. 2022(1), 7934575. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7934575

[32] Xiao, X., Huang, Y., 2022. Design of the Mixed Oral English Teaching Method Based on the Hierarchical Aggregation Algorithm. Mobile Information Systems. 2022(1), 6413725. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6413725

[33] Wang, T., Zhou, D., 2025. Predictive Effects of Phraseological Complexity on the Quality of Chinese EFL Learners’ L2 Oral Production. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 35(2), 810–823.

[34] Wang, Y., 2025. Reducing Anxiety, Promoting Enjoyment and Enhancing Overall English Proficiency: The Impact of AI-Assisted Language Learning in Chinese EFL Contexts. British Educational Research Journal. 51(2), 1–20.

[35] Piller, I., Bodis, A., 2024. Marking and Unmarking the (Non)Native Speaker Through English Language Proficiency Requirements for University Admission. Language in Society. 53(1), 1–23.

[36] Barkaoui, K., 2025. The Relationship between English Language Proficiency Test Scores and Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study of Two Tests. Language Testing. 42(3), 253–282.

[37] Case, R., Liu, L., Mintz, J., 2025. Integrating AI Technology into Language Teacher Education: Challenges, Potentials, and Assumptions. Computers in the Schools. 42(2), 93–99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2025.2458950

[38] Jin, J., Chen, S., Zhang, J., et al., 2025. Learning English in China: The Earlier, the Better? International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 1–10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12778

Downloads

How to Cite

Zhang, Y., N Krishnasamy, H., Tian, Y., Pandey, G. P., & Kumar, A. (2025). Improving English Oral Proficiency: A Comparison of Online and Conventional English Teaching for Non-Native University Learners. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(12), 1447–1461. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i12.12056

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 12 (December 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Yongge Zhang, Hariharan N Krishnasamy, Ye Tian, Gopal Prasad Pandey, Ashok Kumar

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.