Abstract Educational practice is a necessary experience of pre-service teachers in normal university, and classroom teaching skills are important supporting conditions of pre-service teachers' educational practice. Shortcomings of teaching skills of pre-service chemistry teachers (junior students) based on the investigation mainly include that the mode of teaching activities and the using of media are single; the language of instruction lacks artistry and infectivity; the class-ending is not natural and fluent; blackboard writing is short of artistry, clarity and aesthetics; and teaching demonstration is unattractive and unimaginative. In view of these shortcomings, corresponding suggestions are put forward to strengthen the training in preparation stage for educational practice to promote pre-service chemistry teachers' classroom teaching skills.
