Small Private Online Courses Integrated with Blended Learning: Effect on English Speaking Skills in Chinese Higher Education

Abstract

In recent years, blended learning has gained increasing attention in English as a Foreign Language education, which offers new opportunities to support speaking development through the integration of online and face-to-face instruction. In China’s tertiary education system, however, spoken English proficiency remains underdeveloped due to test-driven curricula, large class sizes, and limited interactional opportunities. While Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs) have emerged as a more focused and institutionally aligned alternative to Massive Open Online Courses, their potential to support oral language development remains underexplored, particularly when used in isolation. This study addresses this gap by examining the effectiveness of a SPOCs-blended learning model designed to improve English speaking skills among Chinese university students. Employing a multilayered mixed-methods design, the study involved one experimental group using the SPOCs-blended model and one control group receiving traditional instruction. Speaking proficiency was assessed using complexity, accuracy, and fluency measures, while qualitative data were gathered through classroom observations and interviews. Findings revealed that the SPOC-blended model significantly enhanced learners’ syntactic and lexical complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Although gains in accuracy were less pronounced compared to the control group, the integration of online input with structured speaking tasks enhanced learner confidence, promoted more authentic and complex language use, and fostered a supportive, low-stress environment for oral communication. The study offers evidence for the pedagogical value of integrating SPOCs into blended speaking instruction and highlights the need for stronger attention to form-focused feedback and instructional alignment in future implementations.