The purpose of this study was to make an investiqation into the naturernof classroom verbal interaction in ninth qrade qeoqraphy classes. On thernbasis of Flanders' model, attempts were made to identify the prevailinqrnbehaviors in the teachinq-1earninq process. Whether or not the teachinqrnbehaviors of teachers were related to teachers eXPerience and qualificationrnwas also one of the maior purposes of this study.rnData reqardinq classroom verbal interactions were obtained from sixrnSidama Zone senior secondary schools that were selected usinq purposivernsamp1inq technique. The study included all ninth qrade qeoqraphy teachers inrnthese schools systematic observation was the instrument of data collection.rnThe data qathered throuqh consecutive observations were analysed usinqrnpercentaqe, t-test, Spearman's rank order and point biserial correlationrncoeffi cients.rnThe findinqs have indicated that,on averaqe teachers consumed aboutrn85. 42% of the class time for talkinq (mainly for lecturinqj, while studentsrnused only about 5.40% . All qeoqraphy teachers were fOWld usinq directrninfluences in teachinq. Geoqraphy classes were characterized by low teachersrnuse of questions, hiqh teachers' initiation, teachers hiqh emphasis on thernpresentation of the subiect matter and low students self introduced ideas.rnThe findinqs have also shown that total years of teachinq have sianificantrndirect relationship with the proportion of teachers' talk and teachers' usernof lectures. But experience was fOWld to have no sicmificant relationshiprnwith the type of influence teachers used in teachinq. Moreover, qualificationrntoo was fOWld to have no sianificant relationship with the above variable.rnThus , it was concluded that qeoqraphy classes were teacher dominated andrnstudents were mainly left to the position of passive audience.rnBased on the findinqs and conclusions, it was recommended that measuresrnreqardinq upqradinq the previous traininq of teachers and re-examination ofrnthe methodoloqy courses be taken to improve classroom interaction. It wasrnal so recommended that teachers should vary their talk so as to include suchrncat eqori es as acceptinq s tudents' fee1inqs, praisinq them, usinq studentsrnideas, etc instead of de1iverinq lect ures for a very l onq period of time.