ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we revisit the interaction between Jolene and John from Jolene’s English classroom which we used to illustrate how positioning and identity are created in interaction. This time, we add alignment and stake to observe what Jolene and John were constructing in that interaction as curriculum and learning. We observe the construction of what counts as essay writing as Jolene confers with John about the penultimate draft of his paper. Their conversation took place near the end of the school year at Jolene’s desk at the front of the classroom. Notice how Jolene’s instruction positions John as a writer and positions his writing as not meeting the expectations of the curriculum. Jolene implores John to think of a better way to say that because he’s a better writer than that (5), while John struggles to make sense of Jolene’s comments and to resist her prescriptions for improvement.
