In an analysis of the research literature on specific teacher behaviors which focused on oral language or speaking, no studies were found which could meet fully the criteria proposed for inclusion. Sources of problems lay in (1) the absence of an explicit theory of language underlying the study or series of propositions; (2) the failure to get beyond gross descriptions of complex matters, including behaviors, or, if the studies were focused narrowly, their generalizations were considerably out of proportion to what actually was done as a piece of work; (3) the lack of comparability among studies which had other characteristics in common; and (4) the nature and extent of the criteria as well as their relation to a few studies which did attempt to outline, manipulate, and then evaluate specific behaviors. Recommendations included a shift of subsequent attention to search areas which would yield more appropriate descriptive examples. Mentioned as especially promising was the relevance of the situational context of teacher behavior in relation to children's oral language and speaking with recent sociolinguistic research as a pertinent source for this search area. (HS)