Universal Journal of Educational Research 8(12A): 7694-7701, 2020 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082556 Improvement of English Writing Skills through Blended Learning among University Students in Malaysia Ayuni Madarina Abdul Rahman, Mohd Nazri Latiff Azmi, Isyaku Hassan * Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia Received October 11, 2020; Revised November 20, 2020; Accepted December 11, 2020 Cite This Paper in the following Citation Styles (a): [1] Ayuni Madarina Abdul Rahman, Mohd Nazri Latiff Azmi, Isyaku Hassan , "Improvement of English Writing Skills through Blended Learning among University Students in Malaysia," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 8, No. 12A, pp. 7694 - 7701, 2020. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082556. (b): Ayuni Madarina Abdul Rahman, Mohd Nazri Latiff Azmi, Isyaku Hassan (2020). Improvement of English Writing Skills through Blended Learning among University Students in Malaysia. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(12A), 7694 - 7701. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082556. Copyright©2020 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract The teaching and learning of writing involve developing the linguistic and communicative competence of students. Blended learning is described as a strategic and systematic approach that integrates the best aspects of face-to-face and online interactions using appropriate communication technology. This approach engages students in a tremendous learning experience through verbal and written communication. Therefore, this study aims to explore the benefits of blended learning in learning writing among university students using focus group interviews. The respondents consist of a purposively selected sample of six second-year students from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia. The interview data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings show that the blended learning approach helps students to develop written communication skills, self-esteem, and interest in learning writing. The students viewed that this approach has provided them with the opportunity to learn in a flexible and conducive learning environment that has positive impacts on their writing. It is envisaged that this study would be beneficial to language instructors and education authorities by providing information that could be useful in the process of curriculum development, particularly for higher learning institutions. Keywords Blended Approach, Communication, Interaction, Learning Outcome, Learning, Second Language, Writing 1. Introduction Writing is a necessary skill in mastering the English language [1, 2]. It is particularly critical in learning English as a Second Language (ESL) [3-7]. For ESL learners, writing is much more difficult, complex, and challenging to master than speaking, as it involves handwriting, spelling, flow, and punctuations, as well as the need to generate and organize ideas into comprehensible texts [8-11]. Students lack an understanding of the compositional aspect of English writing and do not view their English written texts as a means of communication [12]. Furthermore, studies revealed that students generally face difficulties while composing English writing [13, 14]. These problems occur because students are not satisfactorily acquainted with the English language and do not have adequate writing exercises. The major concerns in students’ writing include grammatical, punctuation, and spelling problems [15]. As a result of these problems, researchers focus on how to improve students’ English writing [16, 17]. The integration of traditional learning approaches and technology to enhance students’ writing skills is crucial [18, 19, 20]. Sarfo and Yidana [21] mentioned that “a combination of face-to-face and online instruction is termed as blended learning” (p. 145) Blended learning is described as a strategic and systematic approach that integrates the best aspects of face-to-face and online interactions using appropriate communication technology [22, 23]. Hence, utilizing the blended learning approach in the educational environment