A Review of The Use of Online Module to improve English-speaking Skills among University Students

Enriching English speaking skills among university students, especially in Malaysia; plays a vital role in enhancing their mastery of the English language holistically. Nevertheless, some critical issues have been addressed from the learning of English speaking skills, particularly concerning the students’ incompetence to acquire good English speaking skills and the conventional method of teaching and learning, which are among the challenges related to English speaking skills learning. Hence, learning via online modules has been designated as one of the preferable English speaking skills learning strategies used in teaching and learning in this current era. This conceptual paper aims to review the literature relevant to the use of online modules in improving English-speaking skills among university students. It discusses English speaking skills and their importance, challenges related to English speaking skills, the use of the online modules in learning English speaking skills, and its advantages. By exploring the use of online modules in learning English speaking skills and its advantages to the university students, they are intrinsically motivated and attracted to learn English speaking skills engagingly. Thus, the use of online modules should be encouraged among university students to master English speaking skills holistically.


Introduction
In today's educational environment, the English language is necessary for every student, especially university students who will be competing in the global market after graduating (Ilyosovna, 2020). Those who are good at communication have a higher chance to be accepted in job interviews or promoted to a higher job position (Krishnan et al., 2020). Hence, speaking proficiency is included in the learning syllabus in the universities as one of the primary English language abilities that university students must acquire. They are required to learn several English-speaking skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, fluency, etc. Besides, English speaking skills are considered as one of the important skills to be acquired when learning a language. By mastering English speaking skills, university students are equipped with adequate skills that will help them to communicate, deliver their opinions, and share their thoughts with other people successfully (Kadamovna, 2021). Besides, speaking skills enable them to increase their selfesteem and motivation to communicate with people across the globe. When they can communicate well in the English language, it is very useful for their future academic and career opportunities (Azlina & Kashinathan, 2021). It boosts their confidence to talk and shine in the public. Furthermore, it also broadens their opportunities to speak well in interviews and promotes them to good career positions. Hence, every university student is encouraged to sharpen their English-speaking skills for a good future. However, it is worth noting that not every university student is blessed with adequate knowledge of English-speaking skills. There are several critical challenges addressed in the learning of English-speaking skills among university students. Among the challenges are the fear of the English language and lack of interest to learn English speaking skills (Gumartifa & Syahri, 2021). Several university students are reported to be afraid of making grammatical mistakes when speaking in English and thus, embarrassing themselves in front of their lecturers and classmates. Besides, some are not fluent because they are afraid to make attempts to pronounce new vocabulary due to the fear of being judged by others. Moreover, some have low motivation and desire to learn English speaking skills consistently and do not participate actively during the lessons (Al-Esaifer & Alshareef, 2018). Hence, challenges in learning English speaking skills should be reflected upon and solved for the benefit of university students. Considering the challenges in learning English speaking skills among university students, there is a need to create an interactive and engaging learning method that solves their learning issues, and thus, meets their language learning needs (Abd Rahman et al., 2019). Hence, the use of online modules is seen as one of the most appropriate learning methods that suit the current language learning needs of university students. It is relatively flexible and provides an engaging learning experience for them to learn English speaking skills (Habibie, 2021). It also promotes self-directed learning in which the university students can learn English speaking skills via online modules independently. Hence, in this conceptual paper, the researcher attempts to answer the following research question: what are the advantages of the online module in learning English speaking skills among university students?

Literature Review English-Speaking Skills
English speaking skills have been cited in multiple past studies as one of the most crucial skills that every student, particularly those in higher education, should possess. Besides, English speaking skills include fluency, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, which are vital in mastering English speaking skills holistically. According to Safitri et al (2020), children should be active in learning about how language works as they learn to use English in the classroom. They should be asked to consider different elements of language, to build a common vocabulary for discussing language, and to apply this knowledge to critically assess texts in terms of effectiveness, meaning, and correctness. Someone who speaks fluently would also know when to employ certain grammatical points. In today's world of science and technology, English speaking skills play a critical part in an individual's holistic development, and university students are expected to learn a variety of English-speaking skills to thrive in their courses (Yunus, 2018). They are encouraged to improve their speaking abilities to achieve their goals and desires, which gives them several advantages in terms of their academic and career development (Kadamovna, 2021). Effective speaking skill leads to accomplishments during ceremonial speaking events, job training, activities, job interviews, and other business reasons for both speakers and business organisations. Due to the importance of the English language in the corporate world, university students who will be future employees are encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity to demonstrate their ability to communicate in English (Chou, 2021). Making good advancement up the management ladder is merit for those with good English-speaking skills. Individuals cannot advertise themselves in the global marketplace just based on their experiences and theoretical understanding. Communication skills, along with a variety of other soft skills, have become one of the most important parts of employability in the global labour market. Hence, English speaking skills are encouraged to be acquired by university students.

Importance of English-Speaking Skills
There are many importance of learning English speaking skills among university students. English speaking skills are important for their oral learning activities, especially in presenting oral presentations as a necessity for their academic purposes (Safitri et al., 2020). When delivering their oral presentations, university students must master numerous English-speaking skills, including outstanding grammar knowledge, non-verbal communication skills in convincing and influencing others, and maintaining appropriate body language and eye contact. Azlina and Kashinathan (2021) stress the importance of English-speaking skills for university students, particularly on how a good speech with few or no grammatical errors represents a high level of student quality in developing their potential. Next, English speaking skills not only help them to deliver oral presentations successfully, but they are essential for their academic grades. According to Chou (2021), oral assignment tasks require university students to have high English-speaking skills to receive good grades on the assignments. Students are evaluated not just on their writing talents, but also on their speaking abilities, particularly on the tactics for delivering speeches and the contents, at universities. They are also graded based on their fluency, pronunciation, grammatical, and vocabulary knowledge. As a result, it demonstrates the requirement for university students to acquire English speaking abilities to achieve holistic success (Rafiq et al., 2020). Furthermore, English speaking skills are also important to build their personal and communication skills (Kadamovna, 2021). They appear to be more convincing and professional when communicating with other people. University students with good English speaking skills may have more opportunities to achieve promising career positions rather than those who encounter problems in acquiring English speaking skills. Besides, acquiring good English speaking skills increases their self-esteem to communicate in the English language confidently. They do not encounter problems in delivering their opinions, exchanging their ideas, and sharing their thoughts in public. Hence, English speaking skills are regarded to be important for every university student.

Challenges in Learning English-Speaking Skills
There are several challenges in learning English-speaking skills that should be addressed. The fundamental issue in acquiring English speaking skills is that university students may have a higher chance of using the English language incorrectly since they are more familiar with the structure of their mother tongues than the English language (Trinh & Pham, 2021). Non-native English speakers, such as Malaysian university students, do not regard English as their primary mode of communication. They are more at ease in daily communication situations while speaking in their mother tongues, which they have learned since birth. When they attempt to communicate in English, some of them have a high tendency to switch to their mother tongue occasionally (Ratnasari, 2020). Hence, mother tongue interference is among the primary challenges in learning English-speaking skills among university students.
Besides, language anxiety is one of the challenges in learning English-speaking skills. When someone is learning a language, it makes them uneasy. Language anxiety is defined as concern and unpleasant emotional reactions elicited by learning a second language. The worst thing that may happen to language learners is that they become stressed. For instance, several university students are reported to be afraid of making mistakes in speaking the English language, and thus, embarrassing themselves in front of their lecturers and peers (Gumartifa & Syahri, 2021). Moreover, they are also afraid of being judged by other people in terms of their pronunciation and fluency (Al-Esaifer & Alshareef, 2018). Moreover, another challenge in learning English speaking skills is a lack of interest and motivation to learn English speaking skills among university students (Juhana, 2018). Some have a low level of interest to communicate accurately and strategically in accordance with language structure, grammar, and other language characteristics (Khan et al., 2021). Moreover, conventional learning methods where the students have to practise their English speaking skills through presentations and tests do not provide as much satisfaction as that of online learning, especially via an online module (Yunus, 2018). Hence, there is a need to explore the use of the online module in learning English speaking skills among university students.

Employing Online Module in English-Speaking Skills Learning
An online module is characterized as a group of a few structural pieces that are joined to build a more complicated unit (Kusumawati et al., 2018). It is a term used to describe an educational learning platform that consists of a few units of online learning materials (Ahmad, 2017). It is a flexible learning technique that encourages university students to learn on their own time and terms. The online module might also be considered one of the most modern learning approaches, emphasising the use of science and technology in online classrooms while also improving the learning experience quality (Arifani et al., 2020). According to Sadiq and Zamir (2014), the online learning modular approach is one of the most recent learning techniques that emphasises the use of science and technology in online classrooms while also improving the learning experience quality. It has a few learning characteristics, such as consisting of a few learning units focusing on specific topics with targeted learning outcomes, providing guidelines on how to manage the online module's learning structures, and providing learning opportunities for self-monitoring and feedback via online platforms (Trilestari & Almunawaroh, 2021). In terms of learning platforms, the online modular approach differs from the traditional modular approach (Valverde-Berrocoso et al., 2020). The former emphasises the extensive use of technology to distribute learning materials and assess students' performance from a distance, whereas the latter requires a physical connection to learning materials and is less practical (Vadivel & Ganesan, 2020). As a result, students are expected to learn digitally and adhere to the learning criteria provided in the online modules.

Advantages of Online Module in Enhancing English-Speaking Skills
For students, the online modular method has various benefits and drawbacks in terms of assuring the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes. It emphasises learning flexibility, with more student-centered learning processes because students can learn at their speed. According to Trilestari and Almunawaroh (2021), the fundamental benefit of online modules is that students are responsible for exploring the online module on their own, with instructors' tasks limited to organising and observing students' learning performance. Al Mamun et al. (2016) back up this claim by stating that the online modular method gives students a lot of flexibility in managing the resources in the online module. Furthermore, online modules can accommodate a variety of learning methods. Students with various learning styles, such as visual, auditory, interpersonal, intrapersonal learning, and so on, benefit from the online modular method (Astalini et al., 2019).
According to Filgona et al (2020), motivation is one of the primary elements that influences university students' intention to learn English speaking skills diligently, which can be developed through the online modular method. They feel highly motivated and are genuinely interested in learning English speaking skills when the learning environment is relevant to their language learning needs. Moreover, according to Suryani et al (2021), learning via an online module provides an opportunity for university students to explore the learning of English speaking skills independently. For instance, the flexible learning nature of the online module encourages them to learn English speaking skills at their initiative. Hence, they might not feel forced to learn and thus, they might develop their motivation to embrace the English speaking skills learning experience enthusiastically. According to Abuhassna and Noraffandy (2018), university students from various learning situations find the online modular method to be convenient and efficient. It emphasises the concept of self-directed learning, in which they use online modules to achieve their own learning goals and complete them at their speed (Arosyad et al., 2021). This particular important notion of the online modular approach may be able to meet their learning needs, who are expected to regulate their learning flow rather than rely on lecturers to spoon-feed them. Because most of them were spoon-fed by teachers during primary and secondary school, this technique is critical to their learning progress at the university level (Lim & Yunus, 2021). It provides individuals with several learning chances, such as the ability to study learning materials on their initiative, relate new knowledge to prior knowledge, recognise their learning potentials, etc. According to Novitasari et al (2020), online modules have been found to increase task completion enthusiasm and student choice of learning aids such as simulations and videos. They have the opportunity to learn in a more interactive learning environment, where they can learn at any time and from any location. It encourages flexibility in teaching and learning processes, allowing for the creation of a fascinating ambiance in online classrooms. According to Filgona et al (2021), the online modular method is considered to be practical to be conducted during Covid-19 in terms of learning practicality. As most learning processes are required to be completed online and physical contacts in educational environments are limited, several lecturers have chosen online modules based on the learning curriculum due to its practicality and flexibility, and students have exhibited a favourable attitude toward the online modular learning approach holistically.

Discussion
One of the most important abilities that any student should have is the ability to communicate in English. To acquire English speaking skills holistically, fluency, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation are essential. Effective public speaking skills help to succeed in ceremonial speaking events, job training, activities, job interviews, and other business situations (Vadivel & Ganesan, 2020). There are various reasons why university students should develop English speaking skills. University students with strong English abilities may have a better chance of landing a desirable job post (Trinh & Pham, 2021). They have no difficulty expressing their opinions, discussing ideas, or sharing their thoughts in public. Online module is one of the most recent learning techniques that emphasises the use of science and technology in online classrooms while also improving the learning experience quality (Trilestari & Almunawaroh, 2021). The online modular approach differs from the traditional modular approach, which involves the extensive use of technology to distribute learning materials and assess students' performance from a distance (Valverde-Berrocoso et al., 2020). Students have the opportunity to learn in a more interactive learning environment through online modules, where they can learn at any time and from any location (Abuhassna & Noraffandy, 2018). It encourages flexibility in teaching and learning processes, allowing for the creation of a fascinating ambiance in online classrooms (Arosyad et al., 2021). The online modular method emphasises learning flexibility, with more student-centered learning processes (Suryani et al., 2021). Moreover, Filgona et al (2020); Suryani et al (2021) emphasise the relevance of online modules towards their language learning needs, which increases their motivation and interest to learn English speaking skills. Students are responsible for exploring the online module on their own, with instructors' tasks limited to organising and observing students' learning performance. Online programs can accommodate a variety of learning methods, such as visual, auditory, interpersonal, intrapersonal learning, and so on. Learning using online modules emphasises the concept of self-directed learning. The online modular approach may be able to meet the learning needs of university students who are expected to regulate their learning flow rather than rely on lecturers to spoon-feed them.

Conclusion
This conceptual paper provides a literature review on the English speaking skills and their importance, challenges in learning English speaking skills among university students, the use of online modules in enhancing the learning of English speaking skills, and its advantages. English speaking skills are necessary to be acquired by every university student to talk confidently in public. This conceptual paper is relevant to cater to the current language learning needs of university students, which emphasises online learning aids, specifically online modules. Moreover, it is significant to tackle the challenges in learning English speaking skills such as fear of making mistakes, mother tongue interference, and lack of motivation for the future of university students. It also provides an insightful guide for the English language educators to implement online modules in improving English speaking skills among university students, which is essential in creating a flexible and student-centred learning environment, providing convenient and efficient learning styles to regulate their learning schedules, and boosting motivation and enthusiasm to learn English speaking skills engagingly. Thus, every university student is encouraged to consider using the online module as a preferred learning strategy to learn English speaking skills effectively.