<p>So…there are several components of English, and since I’m not sure which one you’re specifically talking about, I’ll go into a few things.</p>
<p>Grammar–you say you don’t worry about this; however, if your nephew starts to struggle, then have him just do some extra practice from his textbook. Like you mentioned, most people (provided that they are paying attention and want to learn) can pick up grammar skills pretty quickly.</p>
<p>Vocab–Read good quality books with harder vocabulary. This lets you him it in context, and then look it up himself. Encourage him to use strong vocabulary (not ridiculous, of course, but specific and descriptive, at least) in his day-to-day life.</p>
<p>Lit–Have him analyze books bit by bit. Make sure he marks all over his books with notes and observations. If he’s struggling with basic comprehension, then have him write a synopsis of each chapter right after he’s read it–this not only helps him retain information for later, but it is also a useful study guide. Generally, I think of books in these terms (credit to One Year Adventure Novel for most of this)–First, there is a spark that ignites the conflict. This can be something like Edmund accepting Turkish Delight from the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia. The next big event is when the main character accepts fully the destiny which has been bestowed upon him/her–something like Frodo finally realizing that he, and only he, will be the one to destroy the ring in The Lord of the Rings. Then comes the point where everything seems hopeless–sometimes, the main character is even offered a way out–but yet he/she keeps fighting to the end. Something like <em>spoiler alert</em> Harry’s friend Cedric Diggory being killed by Voldemort towards the end of The Goblet of Fire, part of the Harry Potter series. <em>end spoiler</em> Finally is the point where good and evil clash once and for all, to determine the conclusion. Now, as for the characters, this may help–there is generally one hero, or main character. S/he generally has one major flaw, but also one unlucky circumstance. The hero usually has one value that s/he represents, or is. Then the villain, who fights the hero, is the opposite of that ideal. Then there are generally a couple of allies, who help the hero along the way. Sometimes the hero has a mentor, who teaches him/her something, and occasionally a love, who, obviously, loves the hero. A couple of extra, random things that might help–oftentimes, heroes have to choose between two bad choices. Heroes suffer a lot. Symbols play an important role in every story, and seeing how they relate to the story can help us realize how they correspond to the real world.</p>
<p>Comp–Edit other people’s work, and point out their flaws. This lets you see more of your own issues. Get research papers and such done early, so that you can let them sit around for a while, and come back to look at them in a couple of weeks with fresh eyes. Be persuasive, and include facts. Opinions are only a good thing to include if they are backed up by several facts. If you make an assumption, say so, but assume the opposite later if this is at all possible. Always explain why the other side of the argument is invalid. Don’t list things, but make sure to get your point across clearly.</p>
<p>There are many other things I could say (being a freshman myself this year, and having gone through a lot–no, too much–of this), but this post has gotten entirely too long. Hope this helps, and good luck to you nephew. But always remember, concentration and the desire to learn and improve is the most important thing. If your nephew has these, he’ll do fine, regardless of how he goes about his work.</p>