In order to develop an ecological theory of teaching, the classroom must be viewed as a sociological unit. The unit of interest was the teacher-student learning group. The basic question explored was: What is the relationship between human interactions and the physical and social contexts of the group? Teams of scholars met in seminars, each member bringing the concepts and perspectives of his respective discipline or area of inquiry. In this "bridging report" two researchers combine different approaches to contribute to an ecological theory of teaching. One brought to the study experience and knowledge about research on teaching, and observational data obtained in natural classroom settings. The primary emphasis of this researcher was teacher behavior. The second brought a sociolinguistic and sociological perspective to the discipline. Recommendations for areas of future inquiry are made. (JD)