In this paper we describe two episodes of instructional interaction, in which examples are used in order to help students face their misconceptions. We introduce the notions of pivotal example and bridging example and highlight their role in creating and resolving a cognitive conflict. We suggest that the convincing power of counterexamples depends on the extent to which they are in accord with individuals' example spaces.

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Acknowledging students' difficulty in generalizing in general and expressing generality in particular, we assert that the choice of examples that learners are exposed to plays a crucial role in developing their ability to generalize. We share with the readers experiences in which examples supported generalization, and elucidate the strategies that worked for us in these circumstances, presuming that similar strategies could be helpful with other students in other settings. We further share several pitfalls and call for caution in avoiding them.

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