Despite a focus on interactive read alouds (IRAs) in literacy methods courses, many teacher candidates (TCs) need support translating instructional recommendations into practice. Practice-based approaches can help TCs begin to embody knowledge, techniques, and dispositions necessary for teaching. This qualitative study investigates two literacy teacher educators (TEs) use of rehearsals--role plays where a TC acts the role of the teacher and the TE coaches-- to support TCs in learning to enact IRAs. It explores TEs' use of a subset of directive coaching moves--closed moves where TEs highlight, model, or contrast. Results highlight the complex, multifaceted role of TEs within rehearsals and suggest that TCs still contribute to co-construction of shared representations of practice even when TEs provide explicit feedback.