The Interplay of Willingness to Listen, Metacognitive Instruction, and Awareness in Listening Comprehension

In recent decades, metacognitive instruction (MI) has shown promise in enhancing listening interaction across diverse learner profiles. However, as a key component of communication in a second language (L2), learners’ willingness to listen is underexplored. This study investigated the impact of metacognitive instruction (MI) on listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness among willing-to-listen L2 learners. A total of 100 intermediate Iranian learners (24 males and 76 females), aged 18 to 24, were identified as willing-to-listen and randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment group (n = 50) received 10 sessions of MI, while the control group (n = 50) followed a conventional approach. Participants in both groups completed the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) listening tests and the Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire (MALQ) before and after the metacognitive instruction. Subsequently, 20 participants from the treatment group were randomly interviewed to explore their attitudes toward MI. Results revealed significant gains in both listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness in the treatment group. Additionally, qualitative data reinforced these findings, highlighting improved listening comprehension, increased metacognitive awareness, higher self-confidence, and reduced anxiety. This study further offered pedagogical implications for using metacognitive instruction to support listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness among willing-to-listen L2 learners.