This paper presents some teaching components which might serve as a basis for developing and improving teaching skills. Five interactive teaching functions are studied: managing classroom behavior, asking questions, interacting verbally, communicating nonverbally, and reinforcing pupil behavior. Managing classroom behavior deals with the teacher's control techniques and their effect on the conduct of pupils. Asking questions studies a) the way teachers phrase questions, b) the way teachers elicit pupil responses, and c) the thought level of teacher questions. Interacting verbally presents a model for teacher use, the Interaction Analysis Category System. Categories for interaction analysis include the direct and indirect influence of teacher talk, student talk, and silence. Nonverbal communication includes the use of body language, consisting of facial expressions, gesture and control maneuvers and certain classroom elements such as the use of space, time, and teacher travel. The fifth function studies the reinforcement of pupil behavior using the teacher, pupil, and peer group as change agents. Throughout this study, emphasis is placed on the quality of methods teachers use to implement teaching functions. Knowledge of alternatives and greater discrimination in their use will hopefully aid teachers to perform more rationally and influence more positively the classroom learning behavior of pupils. (MJM)