Promoting a special learning environment for second language learning in a Chinese rural primary school

It has been a challenge for Chinese educators to improve the educational quality of big-size classrooms. In this reflective article, a special learning environment was implemented in an English classroom at a primary school in China. By involving “teacher”, “monitor students”, “tutor students”, “tutee students” and “at-risk students” as members of the learning community in the classroom, the teacher formed a holistic, interconnected and interactive learning structure. This learning structure supports the four stages of student development: “elaborative design”, “gradual maturity”, “independent operation” and “reinforcement and development”. From our practice, we found that the learning environment is suitable for the Chinese educational situation: (1) integrating multiple learning theories and learning activities to help students construct and apply their knowledge as well as develop their organizational, social and self-directed learning skills; (2) strengthening students’ learning responsibilities and competence to learn in a self-directed and collaborative way; (3) inspiring student learning interests, improve their learning outcomes, and promote the healthy development of student ability and intelligence.