The paper examines problems in special education teacher preparation in the Federal Republic of Germany and presents the author's own experiences as a teacher of physically handicapped students. The development of an interactional teaching style which minimizes verbal communication, capitalizes on everyday learning, and encourages pupils to use their own initiative is described, as is an investigation into the use and effectiveness of this "adequate action" teaching approach in the classroom. Analysis of the data thus far has resulted in the subdividing of "adequate action" teaching behavior into nine categories, including waiting and watching, organizing or changing the teaching situation to facilitate or demand action, concretely demonstrating actions or clear parts of actions, and taking over elements of an action-sequence that is too complex for the child. (CL)