A multidisciplinary analysis of education in the USSR is used to clarify the overall working of the educational process by highlighting one of its essential components--teaching methods. These methods are considered from the standpoint of the dialectic which brings together teaching and learning and underlies the teacher/pupil relationship. In the Soviet system, this synthesis is compatible with the broad goal of the communist upbringing of students through education. Chapter topics are: (1) essence and definition of teaching methods; (2) historical background; (3) teaching methods compared with other educational concepts; (4) psychological background; (5) functions of teaching methods; (6) classification of teaching methods; (7) systems of teaching methods and techniques; (8) methods of teaching by problem orientation; (9) variety and specificity of teaching methods; (10) interdisciplinary teaching methods; (11) selection and combination of teaching methods; and (12) teachers' contributions to methodology. A glossary of educational terms is appended. (JD)