The effect of different instructional variables on students' academic responding time was the focus of the current study. A total of 54 students from 10 classrooms in 5 suburban elementary schools served as subjects. In each school, six students were randomly selected from each of two classrooms, resulting in a group of 22 third graders and 32 fourth graders (26 boys and 28 girls). Each target student was observed over the entire school day, and six event areas were recorded: activity, task, teaching structure, teacher location, teacher activity, and student response. An interval time-sampling technique was used to direct the recording of events in 10-second intervals over the entire day. Ten selected observers recorded data. Results were presented in five areas: the class activity, the task used, the teaching structure, the teacher's location relative to the student, and the teacher's activity. Overall, results indicated that instructional variables do have an impact on students' academic responding. It was suggested that, through an awareness of the effect of different instructional variables on student academic response, results can be applied to increase the time students spend engaged in academic tasks. (BJD)