As a first step in a research effort directed toward formulation of a theory of instruction which would lead to prediction and control of classroom events, data related to teacher-pupil communication, student covert thinking, and teacher and pupil overt thinking was collected by two observers working over a 5-day period with each of nine junior high school English classes. Sociometric and intelligence data, pupil covert thoughts (about four samplings per class per class period), and typescripts from tape recordings of the 45 lessons were categorized. Systematic analysis (not yet completed) has revealed correlations between the level of teacher thinking and the frequency and level of student thinking which will lead to further empirical and theoretical examination of the concepts of dispersion, intensity, and duration of covert student thinking. Such research it is hoped will isolate teaching strategies to be tested under field experimental conditions for recommended use in teacher training. (Included are chapters discussing the study's three focal issues--classroom communication, thinking, and learning; a 27-item reference list; the system of coding typescripts--the Aschner system based on Guilford's Structure of Intellect; and a 430-page appendix containing coding sheets for typescript protocols, graphs compiled from them, and daily percentage totals of intellectual levels.) (JS)