Five primary classrooms with educable mentally retarded (EMR) students were observed during four 20 minute periods to determine the number of correct oral responses given by the students during group instruction. The number of correct responses per child per minute was compared to those of five EMR children placed in a one-to-one instructional setting. The data indicated that individual EMR students are capable of emitting approximately 46 correct responses per minute in a one-to-one instructional setting, yet in a group setting, i.e., a special education class, they emit less than one correct oral response per minute. Additional data revealed that increased elicitations of correct responses increased learning efficiency. The need for more group work with all children responding in unison to the teacher's instruction is discussed. (Author/CL)