Basal readers are provided and everyone begins with Reader No.1 and grindingly slowly, ignoring any interests the children might have, each child progresses step by step to Reader No. 157. Television watching is not competitive. There is no such thing as a good television watcher nor a bad one. But in a non-ideal school every child knows who the best readers are, and the worst. No wonder she prefers television.
Television is fast, colourful, easy, funny, scary, informative, and slick.
In a non-ideal school reading takes place in a physically and emotionally cold environment, and in some discomfort. In this situation the child associates books with fear, shame and boredom. When did t.v. No one tells children that they must watch so much television per night because it is A Good Thing To Do. People watch it because it gives them pleasure.