The quality of student-instructor relationships is an important factor in students’ academic engagement, achievement, and motivation (1–4). Instructors may attempt to build these relationships through their use of language beyond course content. Instructor talk, defined as “language used by an instructor that is not directly related to the concepts under study but instead focuses on creating the learning environment,” includes efforts to build rapport, explain pedagogical choices, share personal experiences, and unmask science (5, 6). Instructor talk may shape students’ perceptions of instructor immediacy, or the sense of closeness between instructors and students (7). Instructor immediacy behaviors, such as smiling, making eye contact, using students’ names, and incorporating humor, have been associated with students’ motivational beliefs, classroom participation, learning, and academic engagement (8–14).