Illiteracy is the inability to read. You can help someone overcome illiteracy by reading together, or even by sharing your knowledge of vocabulary.
Illiteracy in individuals stems from different, generally inter-related causes which, together, create a series of often insurmountable barriers for those concerned.
For instance, for someone born into an underprivileged milieu to parents with little formal schooling, the likelihood of being illiterate or experiencing serious learning difficulties will be higher. This is known as intergenerational transmission of illiteracy.
The following are the most frequent causes of illiteracy in adults:
Parents with little schooling;
Lack of books at home and lack of stimulation as to the importance of reading;
Doing badly at or dropping out of scn.