The purpose of this study was to make an investiqation into the nature of classroom verbal interaction in ninth qrade qeoqraphy classes. On the basis of Flanders' model, attempts were made to identify the prevailinq behaviors in the teachinq-1earninq process. Whether or not the teachinq behaviors of teachers were related to teachers eXPerience and qualification was also one of the maior purposes of this study. Data reqardinq classroom verbal interactions were obtained from six Sidama Zone senior secondary schools that were selected usinq purposive samp1inq technique. The study included all ninth qrade qeoqraphy teachers in these schools systematic observation was the instrument of data collection. The data qathered throuqh consecutive observations were analysed usinq percentaqe, t-test, Spearman's rank order and point biserial correlation coeffi cients. The findinqs have indicated that,on averaqe teachers consumed about 85. 42% of the class time for talkinq (mainly for lecturinqj, while students used only about 5.40% . All qeoqraphy teachers were fOWld usinq direct influences in teachinq. Geoqraphy classes were characterized by low teachers use of questions, hiqh teachers' initiation, teachers hiqh emphasis on the presentation of the subiect matter and low students self introduced ideas. The findinqs have also shown that total years of teachinq have sianificant direct relationship with the proportion of teachers' talk and teachers' use of lectures. But experience was fOWld to have no sicmificant relationship with the type of influence teachers used in teachinq. Moreover, qualification too was fOWld to have no sianificant relationship with the above variable. Thus , it was concluded that qeoqraphy classes were teacher dominated and students were mainly left to the position of passive audience. Based on the findinqs and conclusions, it was recommended that measures reqardinq upqradinq the previous traininq of teachers and re-examination of the methodoloqy courses be taken to improve classroom interaction. It was al so recommended that teachers should vary their talk so as to include such cat eqori es as acceptinq s tudents' fee1inqs, praisinq them, usinq students ideas, etc instead of de1iverinq lect ures for a very l onq period of time.