IN CONTRAST TO RATINGS OF OBSERVED TEACHING BEHAVIOR, THE CRITERION OF PUPIL GROWTH WAS USED IN VALIDATING A PERFORMANCE TEST OF TEACHING PROFICIENCY. USING AN INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT ON "SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHODS," IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT PUPIL GAINS WOULD BE GREATER AMONG THOSE TAUGHT BY EXPERIENCED THAN BY INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS. PARTICIPANTS WERE GIVEN IN ADVANCE A STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES IN OPERATIONAL TERMS (TERMINAL BEHAVIORS EXPECTED OF STUDENTS) AND A COLLECTION OF POSSIBLE LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO TEACH FOR THESE OBJECTIVES. IN THE FIRST OF TWO VALIDATION STUDIES, 6 EXPERIENCED SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDENT TEACHERS AND 6 HOUSEWIVES (FORMER SOCIAL SCIENCE MAJORS) TAUGHT PAID VOLUNTEERS FOR A 6-HOUR PERIOD ON ONE DAY. IN THE SECOND STUDY, 13 REGULARLY CREDENTIALED TEACHERS AND 13 COLLEGE STUDENTS TAUGHT SUMMER SESSION STUDENTS FOR A 4-HOUR PERIOD ON ONE DAY. IN THE FIRST STUDY, STUDENTS TOOK THE WONDERLIC PERSONNEL TEST, A 33-ITEM PRETEST AND A 68-ITEM POSTTEST, AND COMPLETED A QUESTIONNAIRE MEASURING REACTIONS TO THE INSTRUCTION. TEACHERS ALSO COMPLETED AN ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE. IN THE SECOND STUDY, THE POSTTEST AND THE TWO QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED. IN NO INSTANCE WERE ANY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES FOUND BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OF TEACHERS OR BETWEEN THE STUDENTS TAUGHT BY THESE TEACHERS. "TEACHERS' LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN ACHIEVING PRESET BEHAVIOR CHANGES IN LEARNERS" IS OFFERED IN PARTIAL EXPLANATION OF THE NO-DIFFERENCE FINDINGS. (AF)