The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to determine whether children under direct patterns of teacher verbal behavior significantly differed from those under indirect patterns on internal-external (IE) locus of control; and second, to determine which of the specific teacher verbal behaviors (comprising the direct and indirect patterns) were the least and most important predictors of IE. A longitudinal sample of third-graders (N=321) was used. The first problem was investigated using analyses of covariance; the second using multiple regression. Statistical tests of the hypotheses failed to reach significance. Factors which may have accounted for the findings were discussed, along with the developmental trends in IE observed in this investigation. (MS)