Influence of Parental Support on Literacy Skills of Pre-School Children: A Case Study of Selected Schools in Meru Central Sub County Preschools

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of parental involvement on the literacy abilities of young children in the Meru central sub-county. This study's goals were to ascertain the influence of parents' educational attainment, establish the influence of parents' access to at-home literacy materials, and ascertain the impact of parents' economic well-being on preschoolers’ literacy skills in the Sub-County. The underpinning theories were the ecological systems theory and Coleman Theory. This study used a descriptive research design. The target population was 512 parents from selected registered Early Childhood Development learning centers in the Meru central Sub-County. A sample size of 225 respondents was obtained using the Yamane formula. Data was collected from primary sources using a structured questionnaire. The quantitative data was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. The study performed inferential analysis to establish a study model using multiple regression analysis and tested the model using Analysis of Variance. The results showed that parent educational level had a positive moderately insignificant influence (β=0167; p=0.0133; r=0538), home literacy resources available to parents have a positive moderately significant influence (β=0.222; p=0.042; r=0.550), and, parents’ economic wellbeing has positive moderate significant influence (β=0.309; p=0.009; r= 0.586) on the literacy skills of pre-school children of 5-6 years old in Meru Central Sub-County. The study recommends that parents should; acquire literacy skills, and furnish their homes with literacy resources available fit for their pre-school children.