Abstract

A common problem for Chinese teacher trainers is coping with a passive class with silent trainee learners, when trainees tend to be unresponsive and avoid interactions with the trainer. This is especially true when a trainer seeks interactions in the process of training, such as asking questions to the class as a whole or expecting at least one trainee to respond. This can be a frustrating experience for both sides. This action research explores this problem and has created an interactive trainer-to-trainee and trainee-to-trainee class atmosphere and improved the trainees ’ participation in teaching Integrated English, which is shown here as a successful example. KEY WORDS: Passive trainees; rural primary school teachers of English; action research