A Summary of the Major Findings from "Reading with Television: An Evaluation of the Electric Company.".

ABSTRACT Highlights and major conclusions of the report, "Reading with Television: An Evaluation of the Electric Company" are summarized. One hundred public school classrooms in each of two sites--Fresno, Calif. and Youngstown, Ohio--were involved in the study. Half of the classrooms studied in each site were randomly assigned as viewing classes and the other half as nonviewing. An attempt was also made to evaluate the effects of viewing the program at home in Richmond, Va. and Washington, D.C. In-school viewing classes made significantly greater gains than nonviewing classes in the reading skills the program was designed to teach. The program had a clear and significant impact on its target audience--second grade children who were in the bottom half of their class as indicated by standardized reading test scores, indicating the program was an effective instructional supplement for children who were beginning to experience reading difficulty. The program was also effective on first grade classes that viewed in school. Significant impact was also seen on third and fourth grade classes. 0;11ns were produced among first and second grade classes across almost all of the 19 major curriculum areas built into the program. Some positive effects on a standardized reading test were also found. Effects were similar on all groups--Spanish, blacks, whites, boys, and girls. Teachers also reactcd favorably. (RC)