The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that various methods of using television have on instruction in reading for second graders. A specific part of the study was to explore whether teacher interaction is an important consideration in the use of the educational television program, "The Electric Company." A sample of 156 second graders from three north-central Iowa schools in two adjoining school districts was assigned as class groups to three treatment groups: (1) the viewing by fifty students of "The Electric Company" with no teacher interaction, (2) the viewing by fifty-six students of "The Electric Company" with teacher interaction, and (3) the use of regular basal reading materials by fifty students who did not view "The Electric Company." The time spent on reading in the eight week study, which included forty episodes of "The Electric Company," was held constant at one hour and forty-five minutes per day. The results indicated that teacher interaction with children on "The Electric Company" yielded more favorable results, and that children who watched the program without teacher interaction made no significant gains over children engaged in a basal reading program. (Author/WR)