The emphasis placed upon interactive teaching in recent years has stimulated considerable debate about its nature. This article attempts to explore some features of teacher/pupil interaction occurring in classrooms in two countries and compares teacher/pupil interaction in mathematics lessons in St Petersburg, Russia with those in the North-East of England. The research explores the patterns of interaction, both public and private, the number and duration of interactions and the nature of the dialogue, in both locations. Issues which are highlighted are the tension between interaction and cognitive pace, and the tension between collective involvement and response to individual needs. Close examination of the interactions in the two locations highlights differences in sequence and blend which are not immediately apparent, raising questions about the outcomes which are most highly valued in each context. (Contains 10 tables and 1 note.)