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Previous discussions of synchronous modalities for online writing instruction have suggested the interpersonal benefits of this mode could minimize the isolation and transactional distance students can experience in online education. However, previous research on synchronous video courses (SVCs) has noted challenges for communication in this modality. This study examined these tensions between affordance and practice in SVCs, exploring how and why students participated and interacted in certain ways in these courses. A triangulated methodology of discourse analysis of class interactions and thematic analysis of interviews with students and instructors from the observed courses was used to present the prevalent discourse patterns within these courses and to contextualize these patterns within students’ and instructors’ experiences. Drawing on the findings of this study, this article presents recommendations for instructional practices faculty can use in SVCs to leverage the affordances and mitigate the challenges of teaching and learning in this modality.