Q: Our son Brian's second-grade teacher wrote that he did well enough in reading to avoid summer school, but recommended that we "read aloud a lot to him this summer, focusing on nonfiction." School's out, so I can't ask her why. Does that help him with his reading? Why nonfiction?

A: Yes, reading aloud to your rising third-grader will help him become a better reader. Jim Trelease describes the many benefits of reading aloud to preschool and school-age children in his classic work, "The Read-Aloud Handbook" (Penguin, 2013).

Reading aloud introduces children to vocabulary not found in day-to-day conversation, says Trelease.

"In conversation, we use shorthand, not full sentences," he says. "The language in books is very rich. When you read books, newspapers and magazines to your child, you introduce him to more sophisticated language. A child introduced to sophisticated words has a giant advantage over a child who hasn't heard those words. Reading aloud also teaches a child to focus." (See trelease-on-reading.com.)

Research shows that as little as 15 minutes of reading aloud to your son each day can greatly increase his reading power. If you choose a book that's on or just above his reading level, encourage him to follow along with the text, so he sees new words and hears your pronunciation.

Why nonfiction? Much of what we read in life is nonfiction. The new Common Core State Standards emphasize it. Sometimes referred to as "informational text," it helps us learn about real people, places and events. Nonfiction requires different comprehension skills than fiction, such as deriving meaning from photos with captions, comprehending data in a chart and using footnotes and glossaries.

Brian's teacher may also recommend it because nonfiction is a great way to get boys into reading. The text is often more accessible than fiction, more descriptive and straightforward, with photos, illustrations, maps and charts.

Plan your summer reading around topics that interest your son, recommends Jonathan Rosenbloom, founding editor of the nonfiction Time for Kids Big Book series.

"If he loves sports," Rosenbloom says, "find biographies or autobiographies of players; go to sports sites or newspaper sports pages and magazines such as Sports Illustrated for Kids. Nonfiction helps kids learn about the world by leaps and bounds.

"How better to find answers to his questions about deep-sea divers, how fast turtles swim, or how to take care of a new pet goldfish than to read about the topic with you?"

Ask your local librarian to help you gather print and online resources to read to Brian. Check out grade level-appropriate books for him to read to you.

It's good news that Brian doesn't have to go to summer school. But his second-grade teacher raised a red flag. Read every day with him this summer and encourage him to read independently, too. Plan to meet with Brian's new teacher in the fall. Third grade is a critical year to diagnose any reading problems and nip them in the bud.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our son starts kindergarten this fall. The school sent readiness suggestions about reading, socialization and the importance of "math talk." What's that and why is it important?

A: Math talk is incorporating math concepts into everyday conversations. "Children benefit when parents verbalize and show kids the math in basic household tasks," says Antoinette Noel, a mom and math teacher in Polk County, Florida.

Noel offers an example: "Let's cut the whole pizza into eight slices. First, in half. That makes two big pieces. Now let's cut those two pieces in half. That makes four smaller pieces. If we cut each of those in half, we get eight slices -- one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight."

Simply being able to count to 10 on the first day of school no longer qualifies as the pinnacle of math preparedness for kindergarteners. To see why math talk is important, review math learning at each grade level at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics website (nctm.org), or check your state's math standards at greatschools.org.

"Preschoolers can count the number of utensils, placemats and cups needed to set the table or count out juice boxes for the refrigerator," says Noel. "Talk about fractions when you are sharing -- here's half an orange for you, half for me. Have kids add ingredients while cooking to learn measurement: cups, teaspoons, tablespoons, quarts and so on."

Find non-kitchen opportunities too, says Noel. "I have my son, a budding engineer, count off sections of our tiled floor to stage his projects. That leads to a conversation about square footage. I have him measure dimensions of our carry-on suitcase before traveling to ensure it meets overhead-bin size requirements. When we painted a room, we measured walls to figure out how much paint we'd need. One of his favorite toys is a tape measure."

Once you get going, it's easy and natural to talk math, says Noel. "Don't dumb it down. Hearing the vocabulary of math is important, even if they don't understand it. Use big words such as estimation, probability, calculate, explaining as you go, but keep the dialogue moving. When you say and show, 'If you have three pennies, and you subtract one, you're left with two. That's subtraction!' you're helping build powerful vocabulary."

Keep math talk exciting, too, "because math is fun and beautiful, and kids should look forward to algebra, geometry and so on as they grow older," advises Noel. "Never infer that you didn't like math or think it's hard."

Math talk shouldn't stop after kindergarten, Noel believes. "Keep it up as your child grows in understanding."

Children need to know that math is all about trial and error, about experimenting, says Jordan Ellenberg, the author of "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking" (Penguin, 2014). While not a beach book, it's worth a spot on your summer reading list!

Want to brush up on your skills? Go to Khan Academy (khanacademy.org), an education website, where you can register for free.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our boys are begging to get a TV in their room. I think it would be OK for the summer; we'd remove it when school starts. My husband says it's bad for their health and we should leave the TV in the family room. What's the harm?

A: Why set yourself up for a battle in the fall? I'm with your husband -- let them continue to watch and play in the family room.

While approximately 60 percent of the nation's 10- to 14-year-olds have TVs in their bedrooms, it doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Groups ranging from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to the National Sleep Foundation are unanimous in their recommendation: Make it a household rule: no TV in kids' bedrooms.

There's a growing body of research showing that TVs (as well as tablets, smartphones and other digital devices) in kids' bedrooms can harm their development. Diane Gilbert-Diamond, a professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine, is the lead researcher on a recent study that suggests a possible link between kids having TV in the bedroom and more sedentary behavior, snacking and exposure to food ads, leading to weight gain. Other studies have shown that a TV in the bedroom can mean shorter sleep cycles and less healthy sleep.

Television is also a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. There are many studies showing that children who watch TV without parental guidance and oversight may become "immune" or numb to the horror of violence they see on many programs, begin to accept violence as a way to solve problems, and often imitate the violence they see on TV.

Jessica Kelmon, senior editor at greatschools.org, follows the research. "Kids with TVs in their rooms read less, score lower on tests in school, tend to have sleep issues, and may be more likely to smoke in adolescence," she writes.

Plus, TV takes precious time away from all the great things we want kids to enjoy. "The average American youth spends roughly 900 hours in school each year -- and about 1,200 hours a year watching TV," Kelmon explains.

She adds, "1,200 hours is 150 school days."

With all of our digital devices, she contends, "It's never been easier -- TV or no TV -- for children to be transfixed by endless hours of videos on YouTube, TV shows on Hulu, and movies on Netflix from the comfort of their rooms."

Kelmon advises parents to block the box from the bedroom and follow these tips:

-- Make TV viewing an active choice, as if you were picking a movie: "How about if we watch this show at 7:30?"

-- Hide the remote. "Channel surfing encourages passive viewing," says Kelmon. "When family members have to get up to change the channel, they may be more selective about the programs they watch."

-- When the show you've chosen to watch is over, turn off the set. Don't keep the TV on for background noise.

-- Record programs and watch them later. Kelmon fast-forwards through commercials because it "cuts minutes of viewing and temptation to spend more time glued to the tube."

-- Have kids watch their favorite shows in a central area of the home. "Even if you're not sitting down with them, check in while passing through," says Kelmon. "That way, you keep closer tabs on what they're watching."

For more television advice from Kelmon, check out her blog post, "Is there a TV in your child's room?" at greatschools.org, or follow her on Twitter at @JessicaKelmon.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)