Application of microlearning to develop university students’ speaking skills: A case study of Udon Thani Rajabhat University

Abstract

This paper discusses how microlearning can serve as an innovative pedagogical intervention to enhance the speaking proficiency of university students in the Thai EFL context, with specific reference to Udon Thani Rajabhat University. Despite years of English learning, most students in Thailand have not yet achieved speaking proficiency due to insufficient authentic communication practice and a lack of confidence. Microlearning provides a practical and effective solution by offering frequent speaking practice in low-stress environments and promoting learner autonomy through short, focused, and flexible learning segments. It enhances students' speaking ability by reducing speaking anxiety and increasing motivation through flexible, learner-centered activities. Drawing on a literature review and contextual analysis, the study describes how microlearning supports the development of key speaking skills—fluency, pronunciation, and communicative competence—through repeated, meaningful, and self-regulated tasks. Although reducing speaking anxiety is a secondary benefit, the primary focus lies in how learners are enabled to become more proficient speakers through cognitively manageable and affectively supportive experiences. The discussion encompasses theoretical underpinnings, pedagogical features, and classroom applications, including emerging teacher and learner roles and implications for curriculum design. The paper concludes that microlearning holds strong potential as a sustainable and learner-centered approach to improving students’ speaking proficiency, motivation, and communicative confidence in higher education.