Transitions in ESL contexts generally refer to those linking words placed between sentences and between paragraphs. Transitions in writing (and in speaking) are helpful; they facilitate coherence and cohesion when used correctly. Understanding them when reading allows us to join the writer in seeing why and how idea B follows idea A. In this commentary I argue that transitions serve the same function in the unfolding of ESL instructional experiences. Instructors have pre-planned the choreography, but is it transparent to the students? Should it be? What if we conceive of the ESL lesson as text--an essay in particular?