The study reports the analysis of a mother/child interaction sequence. Its focus is on the mother's teaching strategies. The child was presented with two tasks. The first task was new and not previously experienced by the child; the second task was one that had been experienced. The mother's teaching of the tasks was videotaped and analysed. The material was analysed according to ‘on task’ behaviours. The results indicated that:1. (a) both the mother and child were able to maintain a continuous communication sequence;2. (b) the mother structured both tasks, but structured the new task more, and allowed some flexibility in the old task;3. (c) the language used by the mother was ‘restricted';4. (d) in responding to her child's behaviour, the mother made more use of verbal cues and used fewer non‐verbal cues