This article argues that "triadic dialogue" (Lemke, 1990), much criticized in the past, has an important role to play in L2 learning and that its effectiveness should be judged in accordance with the particular pedagogical goals that it is made to serve. Drawing on three recent studies of L2 classrooms in a variety of instructional settings, the article provides illustrative examples of the effective use of different manifestations of triadic dialogue. The teachers in the three studies appear to use triadic dialogue for one or more of the following purposes: (a) a consecutive focus on content and language; (b) a simultaneous focus on content and language; (c) making interaction more dialogic; and (d) encouraging students to exercise their agency as participants. In all contexts, it appears to be critical that teachers attend to both intellectual and affective dimensions of learning in order to create a productive classroom community.