Although modeling is an instructional approach commonly named in literacy education circles, the authors struggled to articulate the essential features of modeling to preservice teachers. This was a problem for them and for the preservice teachers with whom they worked. The problem also represents a larger one in the field, which is that educators are still building that which is the foundation of most other professions: a shared professional language. Efforts to build a shared professional language are important for literacy educators seeking to reflect on and improve their craft, literacy leaders working to make change at the school level, and mentor teachers and teacher educators tasked with preparing the next generation of teachers. The authors describe their efforts to articulate and represent modeling in elementary literacy instruction.