Ethiopian primary education has experienced a shift from traditional instruction to active learning methodologies in the classroom over the last two decades. However, the degree to which these methods are practiced and students are benefited are very far from known. The main purpose of this study was to explore classroom participation and pupils' attitudinal development in actual process of instruction in Ethiopia. The study draws its background from the Young Lives Research on Mathematics Education in Ethiopia. The Young Lives Project used survey research in combination with field observations and questionnaires to obtain information from many teachers and students. Findings indicate that the extent to which students actively participate in classroom instruction is dominated by watching and listening to the teacher. Writing or drawing in exercise books as well as engagement in alternative off task activities are significantly prevalent. Teacher behaviors are in transition in the sense that they have significantly reduced using lectures and one-way explanations. Wastage of time on task and corporal punishment have been significantly reduced. However, they are still far from fully engaging students in their lessons. From these findings, it was concluded that focus should be given to teacher capacity development and the improvement of school environments to advance the use of active learning pedagogies in schools.