Addressing Science Anxiety in German Fifth-Graders through Mindfulness

German primary school students' reading skills have declined between 2016 and 2021, with a deficit of up to one third of a school year. The most significant portion of the decline is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic experiences. These delays are critical because children have to catch up on skills and knowledge they should already have while continuing to acquire new skills and knowledge. Students who are ill prepared in core readiness skills for secondary schools are simultaneously having to cope with the stressful experiences of school transition. Anxiety generally impedes participation in science classes, but the specific concept of science anxiety is less explored. Mindfulness has been successfully implemented in schools to alleviate stress as well as being somewhat effective in positively supporting student anxiety. This paper presents background to a current study that aims to address the significance of the issue of science anxiety amongst German post-transition students, and whether science anxiety can be improved through the implementation of a mindfulness program. [For the full proceedings, see ED652261.]