Abstract: The development of the second language (L2) listening skill is critical to develop other language skills. The importance of L2 listening for overall language development necessitates a change in pedagogy that ordinarily neglects teaching students how to manage their listening development. This paper starts with an overview of the role of background knowledge, cognitive processes involved in listening, frequent exposure to listening input and their implications for L2 listening instruction. It also sheds light on the positive effect of multimedia in promoting L2 listening skill. In addition, it expands to contain a brief discussion of what successful listeners do based on theoretical frameworks. Given the significance of metacognition, which encompasses knowledge about and control over the process of listening, and task-based learning, which focuses on the process of listening, an integrated model for L2 listening instruction that teaches L2 learners how to listen is elaborated. The fundamental premise of this paper is, given the critical role of listening in language learning, L2 learners have to learn how to listen in order to promote overall L2 development.