The purpose of this study is to compare features of read-alouds from fourth grade classrooms that have been identified as very high-performing using contrasting rubrics for classroom observations, including an English/Language Arts-specific rubric, a general rubric designed for 4th-8th grade classrooms, and a general rubric designed for all subjects and grades. We draw on analytic tools from conversation analysis (Sacks, 1992) and positioning theory (Davies & Harré, 1990) to conduct a micro-analysis of instructional interactions during read-alouds in order to identify similarities and differences among read-alouds from exemplary classrooms across these three different rubric rating systems. In doing so we discuss the implications of each rubric as a guide for shaping specific instructional practices.