<![CDATA[This study aims to address the weak listening skills of tenth-grade students at MAN 3 Agam, caused by poor comprehension of Arabic listening texts, low learning motivation, and limited use of engaging instructional media, by examining the effect of using audio-visual picture stories on listening skills compared with conventional method. The researcher employed a quasi-experimental method with a Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The population consisted of all tenth-grade students at the school in the 2025/2026 academic year, totaling 91 students across three classes, while the sample of 55 students was selected through probability sampling, divided into an experimental group (26 students) taught using audio-visual picture stories and a control group (29 students). Data were collected through a pretest and posttest, since the data violated the assumptions of normality and homogeneity, analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results showed an Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) of 0.013 (below 0.05) with Z = -2.477, indicating a statistically significant difference between the groups. However, the control group's mean rank (32.84) exceeded the experimental group's (22.60), showing the conventional method group achieved better listening outcomes. This suggests audio-visual picture stories can support listening skills, but their effectiveness is influenced by treatment duration and the cognitive load of processing visual and auditory input simultaneously. The researcher recommends allowing sufficient time for students to adapt when implementing audio-visual media, and that future researchers examine optimal duration and design, comparing it with other media across skills and levels.]]>
