Communication in Authoritarian Parenting on Learner Participation in Early Childhood Education Science Class in Homabay County, Kenya

Communication is the process of reaching mutual understanding where participants not only exchange information, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. Effective communication imparts knowledge and paves way towards building and strengthening relationships which uphold peace between parents and children for lasting associations. However, the authoritarian parenting style tends to manipulate communication which creates fear and compromise learner participation in class. The study explored the relationship between communication in authoritarian parenting model and participation of learners in Early Childhood Education (ECE) science classroom in Homabay County, Kenya. The population of the study involved 314 respondents including 4 County education officers; 60 head teachers; 60 ECE teachers attached to public primary schools; 120 learners and 70 parents. The teachers’ questionnaire was used as the main data collection tool. Correlation analyses were performed to determine which demographic characteristics should be used as control variables. Regression analyses were also performed to examine the relationship between communication in authoritarian parenting model and children’s participation in class activities. Data was gathered, summarized and analyzed by reading the information collected through the research instruments and pattern trends and relationships from the information gathered were established. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze qualitative data while quantitative statistics were employed to match authoritarian parenting numbers to learner participation attributes. Frequency distribution tables were used to present the data. Anchored on social learning theory, the study findings supported the view that communication in authoritarian parenting model is negatively related to children’s participation in class. The 91% of ECE teachers confirmed that learners from authoritarian settings could not express themselves well as a result of limited communication existing between the child and the parent and only 9% observed eloquence in the learners of authoritarian parents. For further research the study suggested that since authoritarian mothers and fathers behave differently, studies should be done separately to assess consistency of the parenting model in both parents.