This research presented the qualitative data from a project. It aims to investigate the relationship between student concepts of listening difficulties and strategies in ESP classroom (English for specific purposes). 83 fifth-year applied language students from a five-year junior college. Students were required to do five writing assignments based on their comprehension and reflections on the listening activities in class. The writings were carefully examined according to Lakoff and Johnson’s model for analyzing conceptual metaphors. A questionnaire was used to collect students’ perspectives on listening difficulties and strategies. The results of this study indicate that through proper guidance, some students could express their listening difficulties and strategies with metaphors properly and hence their thoughts were deeply understood. Not only students but also the teachers can benefit from knowing students’ ESP learning concepts. Pedagogical guidelines are suggested for ESP teachers, based on the results of the metaphorical analysis and the results of the questionnaire.