Q: We've read to our kids almost nightly since infancy. The oldest, now a fourth-grader, is a good reader, but sometimes still listens in when we read to her little sister. Isn't this unusual? What does she get out of it?

A: It's not unusual at all. While fourth-graders probably won't sit still for a reading of a picture book, many would love to hear more complex books read to them, such as the "Harry Potter" series, "The Princess Bride" or "Because of Winn-Dixie."

Scholastic's recently released 2015 Kids and Family Reading Report shows that 40 percent of children ages 6 to 11 whose parents no longer read books to them at home say they wished their parents still did.

"Parents are often surprised to learn this," says Francie Alexander, chief academic officer at Scholastic.

Reading aloud offers many educational and emotional benefits to older children.

"Tweens whose parents still read aloud to them are more likely to view reading as a pleasurable activity -- something we do to relax at the end of a busy day," says Alexander. "They become more interested in books and are more likely to read for fun on their own."

Reading researcher Dr. Michael Milone touts these academic benefits.

"Reading aloud to kids stimulates language development, boosts their listening skills and models fluency and vocabulary," he says. "As students move up the grades, the vocabulary gets harder. When parents read challenging material aloud, students learn new academic and content-area words and how they are pronounced.

"For example, if you read aloud an article about weird winter weather patterns, you might find words such as 'barometric pressure,' 'cumulonimbus,' 'El Nino,' 'Fahrenheit,' 'precipitation,' 'meteorology.' These are all fourth-grade science words that are easier to learn and less threatening when a student hears them in context."

A busy parent might be thinking, "So we have to set aside time for two read-alouds? One for younger children and one for older kids?"

Not necessarily. It depends on what text you choose.

"A good story or article read with expression can attract the interest of kids of all ages and hold the adult reader, too," says Alexander. "A 6-year-old may not be able to read a news story about a dog that saved its owner, but she can follow the story line and enjoy listening along with her older sister."

There's an art to reading aloud, and "The Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease (Penguin, 2006) has taught many parents how. Check out his advice on reading books you don't really want to at trelease-on-reading.com. (There's a YouTube link that offers videos that model techniques.)

Look for recommended read-aloud book lists at many library websites and on readaloudamerica.org. Literacy expert Steven Layne has compiled suggested titles and tips from K-12 teachers who read aloud daily to their classes in his book, "In Defense of Read-Aloud" (Stenhouse, 2015).

Choose age-appropriate stories by popular authors with male and female characters, strong character development, interesting plots and themes and positive messages, says Scholastic's Alexander.

"If a book isn't working, move on," she says. "While the goal is to promote literacy, the benefit is enjoyable family time together."

(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: My daughter graduates from college in May. Her adviser suggests she take an exit test called the Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus. He says it will help her get a job. I thought that's what a four-year diploma was for. What is this test and why should she take it?

A: The Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus (CLA+) was developed by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE), which, according to its website, focuses "on providing educational assessment services to educational institutions."

Some call the CLA+ a test of "21st-century workforce skills."

It's relatively new and gaining traction as an objective, benchmarked report card that measures intellectual growth in critical thinking, analytical reasoning, document literacy, writing and communication -- areas many companies view as more important for professional success than subject-area knowledge.

The CLA+ is open to any student and costs $35 (though many colleges waive the fee). It's given during the spring of senior year.

Your daughter has nothing to lose by taking it. With so many recent grads living jobless at home, she should use every tool available to present herself to prospective employers. (And it will help you learn whether all those tuition checks were worth it!)

Potential employers use the test to determine whether students' abilities match their college credentials and GPAs. Some colleges use the tests to grade themselves -- a key thrust of the Obama administration's push for higher education accountability.

Recently, CAE analyzed CLA+ scores of 32,000 recent U.S. college graduates and that found 4 in 10 lacked the complex reasoning skills to manage white-collar work.

Jessalynn James, a program manager at CAE, says many students begin "college at such a low level in these skills that they may still not be proficient at the point of graduation."

Richard Arum is a New York University sociologist and co-author with Josipa Roksa of "Aspiring Adults Adrift" (University of Chicago Press, 2014). He says parents, colleges and students share the blame for this "failure to launch."

Arum believes that parents must start early to show kids the relationship between discipline, learning and success later in life. When they begin thinking about college, orient them so "that they understand that college is a time when one needs to invest in rigorous academic coursework" -- that the social aspects are a complement, not the main attraction.

When looking at a college, Arum says parents should ask tough questions. Go beyond the recruitment brochures and sales presentations at a visit. Ask for evidence of outcomes. What are student scores on tests of critical thinking such as the CLA+? How many recent graduates have jobs, and what type? How effective is the college's career office? What kinds of internships and services such as practice interviews does it provide?

M.J. "Chip" Block, a retired business leader who mentors students in Palm Beach County, Florida, says, "A few can construct a cohesive argument, think logically and write a clear explanation of their ideas. But many don't have the analytical and organizational skills to show potential employers they can excel in a job. The truth is that these key skills are not just essential for one's career -- they are critical if you're going to be an informed, effective citizen and productive member of a community."

(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: Do schools still teach civics? My middle school-age daughter has no clue how government works. How can I help her develop civics knowledge in an interesting way?

A: Middle-schoolers aren't the only ones who can't tell a senator from a representative. The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania finds alarming civic illiteracy among adults. In a recent poll, only slightly more than a third of Americans surveyed could name the three branches of the U.S. government. Thirty-five percent couldn't name a single branch. (Test yourself at civicseducationinitiative.com/take-the-test.)

Social studies, which include civics, suffered with the passage of No Child Left Behind. "In an age of high-stakes testing, teachers are under immense pressure to teach what's tested, and science, math, reading and writing are what we test," says Dr. Emma Humphries at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. "Nowhere is this truer than at the elementary level, where teachers report mere minutes devoted to social studies instruction."

Most states require at least one high school semester of American government. Some now require civics instruction earlier. Tennessee and Florida have embedded more civics into their curricula in recent years. In addition, Tennessee's legislature is considering a bill that would make high school students pass a civics test to graduate.

No one has done more to reboot civics than retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. "In 2010, Florida unanimously adopted the Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Civics Education Act to improve civics instruction and assessment," says Humphries. "The act requires that students successfully complete at least one semester of civics for middle school promotion and take an end-of-course examination that constitutes 30 percent of their final grade. Most of Florida's 67 school districts have implemented yearlong civics courses in seventh grade to prepare students for the high-stakes exam."

In 2010, O'Connor founded iCivics.org, a free, interactive website with award-winning games and other digital activities that place students in different civic roles and give them agency to address real-world problems and issues.

"It's a great resource for home or school," says Humphries. "Since its launch, students have played iCivics games 27 million times." (Humphries recommends floridacitizen.org/resources/other for more resources.)

Bill Laraway, a fifth-grade teacher in San Jose, California, encourages parents to use current events to get kids excited about civics.

"There's always something meaty to discuss -- from banning sodas in schools or climate change, to measuring the effectiveness of protest marches," he says. "These talks give kids a chance to polish critical thinking and language skills."

Laraway uses news apps such as NPR, USA Today and CNN to prompt conversation. He also directs parents to age-appropriate discussion guides at CNN Student News, Channel One News, Scholastic News, Newsela and Time For Kids.

Florida congressman Patrick Murphy meets often with students in his district: "A student recently asked about Ben Franklin's advice: 'It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.' I replied that to be an effective citizen, you must first know what citizenship means. It's exciting to see a renewed emphasis on civic education in our schools."

(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.)