Academic Success of International Students: from Visual Experiment to Communicative Competence

Communicative competence is a key factor in the professional success of university graduates, especially for international students. The article analyzes the results of an experimental study conducted during the training of international students at the preparatory school of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University. The aim of the research is to provide a theoretical justification and experimental verification of the impact of international students performing visual experiments during practical work on the effectiveness of developing their communicative competence as a key factor in the success of foreign citizens' education. The study assessed the development levels of key criteria of communicative competence using specific indicators measured through the following methods. The primary research method was a pedagogical experiment employing questionnaires and expert assessment to diagnose the level of communicative competence formation among international students. The results showed that after conducting visual experiments in the experimental group of international students, positive changes were observed compared to the control group: increased levels of motivation, terminology mastery, experimental skills, socio-psychological adaptation, and emotional comfort, along with reduced anxiety. A statistically significant correlation was found between the level of communicative competence development and academic performance as an indicator of international students' learning success ( r = 0,72, p < 0,05). Scientific novelty lies in proposing a set of practice-oriented techniques based on visual experiments, aimed at developing communicative competence while considering linguistic and psychological-pedagogical aspects of learning. Practical significance of the work is reflected in the potential to enhance educational and methodological complexes through the implementation of visual experiments.