The pre-service training of competent geography teachers requires searching for effective teaching methods to increase their professional competence. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of interactive teaching methods for teaching geography during the pre-service teacher training. The ideas of transactional analysis and interactionism underlay the interactive teacher training of 260 students from Kazakh universities. The survey revealed interactive teaching methods positively influence the readiness of pre-service teachers to enhance their professional competence.  This research confirms the importance of using interactive teaching methods to promote students’ engagement and cooperation during the pre-service teacher training.   Keywords: pre-service teacher training; professional competence; pre-service geography teacher; interactive teaching methods; methods for teaching geography;