In this article, I present an agenda for researching help options for second language (L2) listening in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environments. I outline several theories which researchers in the area draw on, then present common points of concern identified from a review of related literature. This serves as a means to establishing the need for this research agenda and also informs the approach suggested for the six research tasks I propose classified under four themes: learner perceptions and experiences; comparisons of different conditions; learner variables; and learner training.