Based on 62 hours of videotaped adult English as a second language classroom interaction, this conversation analysis (CA) study details how engaging life outside the classroom is accomplished in the micro-moments of teacher-student interaction and how such engagement becomes a resource for learning vocabulary and doing conversation. By showing how identities, experiences and activities extrinsic to the classroom are invoked or oriented to by the participants as relevant for learning, we also contribute to the ongoing discussion of how CA can contribute to understanding the process of language development.