This study investigated the pedagogical use of audio-visual aids (AVAs) to enhance listening skills among Grade 10 English First Additional Language (FAL) learners in South Africa’s Chris Hani West District, employing a qualitative case study methodology with six teachers and ten learners through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations analyzed via thematic analysis within an interpretivist paradigm. The findings demonstrate that AVAs significantly improve listening comprehension through dual-channel cognitive processing, enhance learner engagement, and reduce anxiety, while simultaneously revealing infrastructural limitations and inadequate teacher training as key implementation barriers. The study makes significant theoretical contributions by validating Dual Coding Theory in rural FAL contexts and extending the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning by emphasizing cultural relevance as a critical factor in multimedia effectiveness, particularly noting how locally contextualized materials increase participation and understanding. Practical implications suggest that strategic AVA integration with scaffolding techniques, coupled with targeted investments in technological infrastructure and teacher professional development, could effectively address existing educational disparities in under-resourced environments, offering policymakers and educators a framework for optimizing listening skill development through technology-enhanced pedagogies in similar multilingual contexts.
Lundi Nomlala (2025) studied this question.