W ithin the framework of metacognition in second language (L2) listening, there has been a notable surge in the amount of research being conducted and published regarding the effects of metacognitive instruction. Nevertheless, despite this positive interest, it is becoming increasingly evident that there is an element of misunderstanding among researchers, reviewers, and scholars about what constitutes metacognitive instruction. Moreover, there is apparent confusion in a number of associated publications regarding the differences between metacognitive instruction and strategy instruction, a more well established strand of research which also targets aspects of metacognition in L2 listening. In light of these concerns, and with the aim of preventing such issues from being perpetuated in subsequent related publications, the author first briefly reviews the notion of metacognition in L2 listening. Next, with respect to strategy instruction and subsequently metacognitive instruction, the author illustrates how each is subsumed under the concept of metacognition and then clarifies what the given instructional approach entails, supported with examples of empirical studies, in order to highlight the manner in