This article reports a qualitative study exploring the role of metacognitive instruction through self-directed listening guide (Vandergrift & Goh, 2012) on listening process and the factors influencing listening comprehension. A group of intermediate level male and female (N=25) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners speaking Persian as a first language participated in integrated experimental listening tasks. The participants viewed five News programs drawn from BBC website for five weeks and completed diaries with self-directed listening/viewing guide before, during and after watching the programs. Totally, 116 diary entries were analyzed and data about factors influencing their listening comprehension process, and actual notes they took in planning, monitoring and evaluating stages during listening comprehension were collected. Results indicated that diaries with self-directed listening guide served pedagogical purposes by raising awareness of metacognitive knowledge and gave learners the chance to plan, monitor, and evaluate their unseen listening processes. It helped listeners to reflect on their listening, find the gap, take action to resolve the problem and experience a sense of achievement and confidence. Possible reasons for findings are outlined and recommendations for future research are presented.
