Can't read or write

Illiterate - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

illiterates; illiterately

You can describe a person unable to read or write as illiterate. Karaoke, which involves singing out the words to songs as they scroll across a big screen, requires the ability to read. If you’re illiterate, you won’t be able to participate.

Illiterate, from the Latin illiteratus “unlearned, ignorant,” can describe someone unable to read or write, but it can also imply that a person lacks cultural awareness. However, Walt Whitman saw a unique beauty to illiteracy: “There is that indescribable freshness and unconsciousness about an illiterate person that humbles and mocks the power of the noblest expressive genius.”

Definitions of illiterate

adjective
not able to read or write

Synonyms:
uneducated
having or showing little to no background in schooling

analphabetic, unlettered
having little acquaintance with writing

functionally illiterate
having reading and writing skills insufficient for ordinary practical needs

preliterate
not yet having acquired the ability to read and write

semiliterate
barely able to read and write

semiliterate
able to read but not to write
adjective
uneducated in the fundamentals of a given art or branch of learning; lacking knowledge of a specific field

“he is musically illiterate”
synonyms: ignorant
uneducated
having or showing little to no background in schooling
adjective
lacking culture, especially in language and literature
noun
a person unable to read

synonyms: illiterate person, nonreader

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘illiterate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Look up

illiterate for the last time

Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.

Start your vocabulary training

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.

Get started

The shame felt by people who struggle to read and write

Published
29 April 2018

Image source, Getty Images

When John Corcoran wrote about his experience of not being able to read or write until he was in his late forties, many readers sent emails saying that they too had literacy problems. Some described painful experiences at school, while others described hiding their inability to read and write through shame. Here is a selection of their stories.

I was in school during the 1980s and like John I was placed in the dunce class, which made my school life a living hell. I was a good kid who just wanted to get through the day and go home, but I didn't fit in at all. When I graduated from school I had failed English, Maths, Science, History and Geography but I had scraped a GCSE C grade in woodwork. Aged 17 I decided to join the Royal Marines - thankfully academic accomplishment wasn't high on their agenda, so training to be a commando wasn't hindered by my poor reading and writing. But I still had to sit reading, writing and maths tests - I scored the lowest possible score which meant I could never be promoted. At the age of 24 I decided to leave but I was faced with a difficult situation - no qualifications. Thankfully the Marines offered me a fantastic opportunity to undertake an intensive GCSE English and Maths course. By this stage I'd matured enough to apply myself to successfully pass the course attaining two grade Cs - enough to become an NHS paramedic. Paramedic training was the beginning of my true education - I had to double my efforts to ensure I passed all the exams, often spending hours practising writing and rewriting answers. My next big break came when I was offered me a place on a paramedic degree course and since then I have gone on to do several other university qualifications. Although I now consider myself a reasonably accomplished reader and writer I do still struggle. Recently I was reading a bedtime story to my son who noticed that I wasn't as good a reader as his mother and that I still made mistakes. This kick-started a long conversation about me learning to read and write. I had never really shared my situation with either my son or my wife. Jonathan, Oxford, UK

I have quite a severe learning disability which in the 1960s was seen as being too lazy and stupid to learn. I was subjected to beatings and humiliation. Being told to stand in front of the class and hold open my exercise book and the class being encouraged to laugh at me was a regular occurrence. I left school with very little in the way of qualifications, still unable to write my name correctly, but I was able to get an apprenticeship into a job as a painter and decorator - I loathed it. A marriage, children, low pay and uninteresting work kept me in working poverty, with no practical way out. A messy divorce and social isolation had a significant impact upon my mental state. But then I read a book by the actress Susan Hampshire called Susan's Story: My Struggle With Dyslexia. It helped me identify that I had a learning disability and gave me the motivation to get back into further education. Five years of study enabled me to gain an Higher National Certificate (HNC) and a route to a better job. Promotion after promotion followed. By the age of 49 I was running an organisation with a £30m turnover and 530 staff. But I decided to take early retirement at the age of 50 and focus my life on more self-improvement and putting something back into the community. I actually now read reasonably well, but find doing so exhausting as I have to concentrate quite hard. I also read quite slowly. My spelling and grammar are not top notch, but that's a characteristic of me which I quite like. David, Birmingham, UK

At school my children were told they were lazy, didn't try hard enough, and needed to set their expectations lower for academic success. They cried every day before school, and they would hide in the bathroom to avoid reading out loud because their peers would laugh at them. My second son exhibited all the warning signs of dyslexia, but wasn't officially diagnosed until the 4th grade. The teachers kept telling me he was fine, progressing well enough, and that traditional reading strategies would eventually work but he was rapidly falling behind. It was with his dyslexia diagnosis that I realised that my husband is also dyslexic - it is inherited so it had to come from my husband or myself. My husband exhibits every symptom - his spelling is terrible, he has poor grammar, he consistently confuses words and the meanings of words, his reading is slow and choppy, and he struggles to put his thoughts on paper. He cheated his way through school and talked his way out of every situation he could. He still struggles with day-to-day activities that most people breeze through. My second dyslexic child was diagnosed in first grade. She was struggling with phonics, numbers, and spelling. She had previously loved school but had begun to hate it and would beg me not to make her go. My third dyslexic child has a much more moderate level of dyslexia than my other two. We are just finishing our third year of home-schooling and I am so proud of what our dyslexic children have accomplished. They are all above grade level and are truly brilliant kids who work hard and are anything but lazy or stupid. But I continually question whether or not I'm doing all I can do for my children and whether or not home-schooling is the best option for them. Kimberley, Florida, USA

I still remember a teacher telling me that I'd never amount to anything. I was put in the special needs class, but when the funding was cut we didn't get any extra help and I left school with little. When my dad drove me to collect my exam results and I told him my grades, he said, "That wasn't worth going for" (as in the entire time, not the journey on the day). It cut very deep, something I won't forget. I bounced around jobs - I was a postman for three-and-a-half years and because I had grown up in the town where I did my post route I was familiar with where places were, even though I couldn't read the addresses. Then one day in the snow I thought, "I can't be a postman for my entire life." Around this time, I was 22 or 23, my girlfriend said she thought I had some traits of dyslexia, so I went for a test and found out that I had the reading ability of a 13-year-old and the writing ability of an 11-and-a-half-year-old. I was upset and disappointed that it had never been picked up before. I went back to college then joined university as a mature student. I'm quite sociable and quietly confident and like John Corcoran I befriended girls, mates and randoms to survive. After two years of blagging and cheating I passed my Higher National Diploma (HND). My friends went on to do degrees but I knew my limits and had probably exploited all my friendships and opportunities. Since then I have progressed well, job on job, and I try to make relationships with people who want to help me. I've only been transparent with one boss but I've shared my problem with many other people - some believe me, most don't. I read to my daughter a lot - I try to make it as fun as possible and do all the different voices, because I didn't find reading fun when I was young, I couldn't do it. I'm 40 now and I'm proud of what I've achieved but I am still bitter that as a child I didn't get the help I needed. Rob, Worcestershire, UK

During nursery and primary school I struggled with the basics of reading and writing due to an undiagnosed hearing problem which affected my concentration. At secondary school my mum hired a private tutor for me which helped, but, like John Corcoran, I became a master at hiding my inability to properly read or write. I had such low confidence I found it easier to hide my illiteracy rather than pluck up the courage to ask for help, mainly through fear of being labelled "stupid" by other kids. After leaving school I felt so inadequate. I went for jobs that enabled me to hide my secret - which in turn lead to a deep sense of unfulfilment in life. I worked as a shop assistant and as a postman, and although these jobs required some level of reading and writing, I just became quite skilled at finding ways of dealing with situations that potentially called my literacy into question. I'm 39 now and my literacy has improved massively in my adult years. I read a lot, did some night school classes and re-took a couple of GCSEs. But I lack confidence and I still try to avoid situations where I have to spell in front of people - it's almost like a mental block, I just can't do it. James, London, UK

If you know someone who needs help

John Corcoran set up a foundation in his name to help adults and children with literacy skills - in California and online
In the UK the National Literacy Trust website lists organisations that promote adult literacy
These include Read Easy and the Reading Agency

I was educated at top universities on three different continents, I comprehend complex medical writings very well and passed my medical licensing exams in two countries, I can read quietly in my head - but I can't read aloud. I had a chaotic childhood and my classrooms were crowded so the teachers didn't have the time or energy to teach individual students how to read. Later on in life I compensated for that. I studied hard and passed with high grade point averages but I still feel that my foundation is weak. I think I am a smart person - I helped my peers in medical school with their school work and I speak two European languages, I have written lead articles in scientific and social sciences journals and went through medical school without cheating. I read extensively and promiscuously, so, I know a bit of everything. I am just afraid of reading aloud in public settings because I know I can't read like others. If I have to read aloud I memorise the full text - medical school is all about memorising, which I know how to do very well - or I read short phrases from a PowerPoint presentation. My girlfriend has a PhD, she's a professor. She thinks I am the smartest person in the world but she doesn't know this weakness. I attempted telling her that I can't read once but she ignored me and thought that I was being silly. I have always kept my secret. Maybe one day I will attempt to ask my girlfriend for help. Anonymous, USA

My reading began to fall behind in 8th grade, but I got through high school and college and even graduate school. I could read plays - there are no unnecessary adjectives so I could follow the plot - and I got a master's degree in theatre. I worked really, really, really hard - I didn't want to cheat. But there wasn't a word for my inability to read. Once when I worked at a university I was in charge of designing invitations and sending them out for fundraising events. Even though I proof-read the copy, I transposed the telephone number for RSVPs. The phone rang in a boiler building on campus where two engineers who only spoke Mandarin worked. For two weeks I had to go to the boiler building and climb a ladder to reach the room where the phone rang. It wasn't until I started working and doing on-air work - I work for the Voice of America - that I realised I still couldn't read. I would go over it two or three times out loud before when I went on the air. When I was the White House correspondent for a US TV show I would read an article five times, underlining all the pertinent parts. Then I would go back and read everything I had underlined so I would know what the story was about. Later I got tested and found out that I had all sorts of dyslexic problems and I also had amblyopia [a vision development disorder also known as lazy eye]. The amblyopia was cured and I no longer have that, but I am still a very slow reader and I rarely read books. It was such a relief to find out I had a form of dyslexia - I have never made it secret. It explained everything. Having an undiagnosed disability affects one's self-esteem. Carol, Virginia, USA

Write or read? | Papmambuk

Grandmothers who torture children with prescriptions usually motivate their behavior in the following way: if he goes to school, it will be easier for him. In the meantime, he writes letters, you look, and learn to read.

The first argument seems dubious: why should it be hard now in order to make it easier later?

But the second argument is justified.

In the traditional school methodology, the so-called "literacy period" includes teaching both reading and writing at the same time.

Such an authoritative teacher as Maria Montessori also believed that writing should precede reading. In her system, teaching a child to write begins at the age of four. Moreover, this letter is “real”, calligraphic. And Maria Montessori, judging by her notes, achieved success along this path. In particular, according to her system, children with mental retardation were taught to write before entering school, which helped them integrate into the general education system of that time.

How was this explained? Writing, unlike reading, is a substantive activity: you put in the effort and the result is visible. This is important for the child. In addition, writing gives the "muscular experience" of the letter. Motor memory is included in the process of sign recognition. And when you write a syllable or a word, you merge the letters and involuntarily pronounce them. Therefore, writing really advances on the path to reading.

But there is one very important thing that Maria Montessori did not take into account. Writing is an activity related to drawing. And drawing during the development of the child performs many different functions. A child draws in a completely different way than an adult does. For a child, a drawing is a detailed message about the world around him and about his well-being. This is such a prototype. The classic of Russian psychology, Lev Vygotsky, said so: drawing in childhood precedes writing. But not writing in the sense of the sequential reproduction of letter icons, but in the sense of a written message, an essay.

A child's drawing is a prototype of written speech, a detailed written statement. In the drawing, the child masters the properties of the sign: it turns out that everything around can be depicted using special icons. And this message - in the form of icons - will be clear to others. That is why it is so important to ask children about what they have drawn. Of course, the child does not always tell what he has drawn. Often, in the course of the story, he begins to invent something or “sees” in his drawing something that was not there initially. This is fine. Even good. And this is another component of the development of children's imagination. For us now, the main thing is that an independent children's drawing is a prototype of written speech, in which the imagination is very strongly involved and which is emotionally loaded.

Writing at preschool age does not have one or the other.

Yes, you can teach your child to write early. Write beautifully and correctly. And if you are Maria Montessori, then your young students will not even irrigate the recipes with tears. They will even love it. But with all due respect to Montessori, it is impossible to hide the fact that her pupils did not draw. At all. This was not included in her program. And they didn't listen to fairy tales. Maria Montessori, an advanced woman of her time, was a consistent sensualist who believed that the basis of knowledge is the physiology of sensations. And the main thing in education is to develop these feelings. There is a lot of truth in this.

But everything that had to do with fantasy and imagination, she considered harmful. Fantasizing, in her opinion, leads the child away from reality, from a real understanding of himself and the environment.

In the 1920s, such thoughts without any connection with Montessori arose among Soviet teachers who professed materialistic philosophy. The so-called "fairy tale debate" that arose at that time called into question the value of many literary works. These ideas proved to be quite tenacious.

But at the beginning of the 21st century, we can say with full confidence that the most important discoveries are made by people with a developed imagination. And that in general imagination is a necessary component of thinking. Not only humanitarian, but also mathematical. They say that modern physicists beat all records in terms of the level of development of the imagination.

So the child's imagination, from the point of view of a child's life prospects, should concern us no less than children's skills related to a possible problem-free existence in the first grade.

And so we must be aware of what drawing is for a child.

Drawing, I repeat, in the course of child development precedes written speech. Developed independent children's drawing is an indicator that the child will be able to express his thoughts in writing.

But, paradoxically, as soon as we begin to teach a child to write, this affects his drawing in the most sad way - simply because these are related activities and drawing is almost inevitably replaced by writing along the way. Many of the children who draw interestingly and abundantly at a young age later lose this ability - if it is not supported by special efforts. That is, if drawing is not translated into another plane - into the plane of fine art.

It is for this reason that I would not advise parents to teach their young children from the recipes.

But!

In addition to capital letters, there is the so-called "picture writing" - when a child depicts letters as he "can". when he draws them.

Picture writing differs from copywriting primarily in that it arises spontaneously: the child suddenly begins to draw letters on his own initiative. And most often these letters appear in children's drawings. They are elements of children's drawings - evidence that writing is born from drawing.

Such attempts by a child to draw letters should be appreciated and supported. They signal that the child has already grown up to perceive the letter as a sign. This is the first sign that it will soon be possible to teach him to read. Moreover, he has already begun self-education. Only learning does not take place at the speed with which we want (and we want it at a speed close to the cosmic one), and not at all according to the system that we set ourselves up for. The letter as such, as the message fixed on paper, he has yet to open. And first he discovers the letter as a drawing.

Many parents have probably come across such a phenomenon as imitation of writing: wavy lines, hooks - this is how the child pretends to have written something. And he really wants you to read it. So read on, what do you need? Four year old - read. And be patient to wait until he himself understands that writing is something else.

It is impossible to say how the child will move from drawing letters to reading. More precisely, we can assume some scenarios with more or less active participation of parents. But the main thing is not to rush. The first letter in the picture is just the first sign of spring in learning to read.

When I say "take your time" I only mean the parents. If the request to learn something comes from the child, it must be immediately satisfied - in order to maintain cognitive interest in good shape.

But you remember what happened to five-year-old Frieder from Gudrun Mebs' story “Grandmother! Frieder shouts? Frieder wanted to learn how to write. And the grandmother showed him a sample. And Frieder could not repeat the written word. And terribly upset. Then the wise grandmother suggested that her grandson blind this word.

That is, here you also have to be inventive. And it will be right at this stage - an understandable children's request - to use the experience of mankind. In particular, the experience of the same Maria Montessori. And Montessori, who knew a lot about muscle memory, introduced tracing paper as one of the methods of teaching writing.

I have not seen a single child who would deny himself the pleasure of copying pictures, letters and words. Only, unlike Montessori, we will not insist that the letters be written. This is what the child wants.

In general, I cannot but say that writing letters and the ability to write with a pen already looks somewhat archaic and is perceived as an exclusively school skill, which will no longer be seriously needed after graduation. Therefore, I would generally separate learning to read from learning to write. First, I would draw letters with the children and teach them to read. Then, print on the computer. And then, in the third grade, I would introduce the subject “calligraphy” into the program, where it would be possible to deal with already formed, adapted schoolchildren, with their physically sufficiently developed hand and the ability to look at writing as a special art.

It will probably be so in time.

Marina Aromshtam

Dyslexia: symptoms, causes, treatment of the disease

Speech therapist

Bratanova

Olga Aleksandrovna

Experience 31 years

Speech therapist

Make an appointment

Dyslexia is a disorder related to reading skills. Due to problems with certain mental functions that should be involved in the formation of such skills, a child may experience a variety of difficulties when working with a text. Most often, it is difficult to recognize individual characters, signs - as a result, the meaning of words, phrases or sentences is not captured or distorted.

The problem manifests itself from childhood and, with proper correction, can be leveled to a level that allows you to live comfortably and study effectively. But if you do not pay attention to it at an early age, it remains in adulthood, causing a lot of inconvenience. At the same time, it is important to understand that dyslexia does not determine the development of the child by itself - he can effectively perceive information through other channels, for example, to understand well by ear.

Why dyslexia occurs - the causes of the disease

The main causes of dyslexia are neurobiological in nature. This is important for understanding, because often, out of ignorance, parents and teachers attribute the difficulties with reading to the "laziness" or "inattention" of the child, only starting the situation. But with such a deviation, certain areas of the brain are less active, and also have a reduced density.

Additional causes of dyslexia (provoking factors) are:

disorders that affect the balance between the two hemispheres of the brain;
serious, severe infections affecting the brain - the most common example is meningitis;
traumatic brain injury;
complications during childbirth and pregnancy: from infections to fetal asphyxia. During pregnancy, the mother’s bad habits also worsen the situation: smoking, drinking alcohol, as well as drugs.

Social factors also have a serious influence on this deviation. Moreover, they can be absolutely opposite in their orientation. So, the symptoms of dyslexia can manifest themselves from too much study load, and from neglect - a complete disregard for the development of the child. With isolation, lack of communication, not a very good environment, the situation only worsens.

However, we recall that dyslexia is not necessarily a disease of children from dysfunctional families. Due to purely biological reasons, it can manifest itself in children who live in excellent conditions and receive enough attention from adults.

Types of dyslexia

Before describing the specific symptoms of the disease, let's talk about the types of dyslexia. There are currently six of them.

Phonemic (acoustic). According to the classification, dyslexia is the most common problem that often occurs in elementary school students. With such a problem, the guys rearrange the syllables, distort the structure of the word - for example, instead of “cat”, they read “current”.
Agrammatical. Assumes errors in the compilation of constructions, for example, a person may incorrectly use endings, cases, tenses (“white table”, “I'm hungry”).
Semantic. Every word that a person reads, he understands, but separately from the entire text. And he cannot assemble words into sentences or into other, even more complex constructions - therefore it is impossible to catch the meaning of what was read. For this reason, dyslexia in adults and children does not allow you to get enough information from books.
Mnestic. This is a problem at the level of individual letters and sounds that do not allow you to learn or understand the whole word.
Optical. Here deviations occur at the visual level. For example, a dyslexic sees a word backwards (mirror) or cannot keep his eyes on the line that he is reading - his eyes constantly slide over the page, not allowing him to adhere to the desired reading sequence.
Tactile. Specific dyslexia is characteristic of people who cannot see and use Braille to read. With this deviation, the letters, determined by touch, are either perceived incorrectly (they are confused with similar ones), or “escape” - a person cannot stay on the desired line.

With these types of dyslexia, the symptoms of the disease will be extremely diverse and ambiguous.

Symptoms by age

To detect dyslexia, it is necessary to know the full range of signs characteristic of this disease. And here there are difficulties, because there are a lot of manifestations - moreover, many of them differ in age. Let's start with the general points, and then talk about what to look for at different ages of the child.

Common symptoms of dyslexia:

problems with concentration, attention and memory;
difficulties with orientation in space - for example, when a child confuses right and left, up and down;
difficulties with simple and more complex tasks: from fulfilling an elementary request - to learning the alphabet, multiplication tables;
changes in the sequence of letters, syllables, numbers when writing, reading information;
inability to handle pens, pencils, etc. well. If a child needs to write something, he clumsily uses a writing tool;
unwillingness to read aloud, write, etc. Actions that are very difficult or in which many mistakes are later found cause psychological discomfort in children.

Even some of these signs are a reason to go to the doctor and start dealing with the situation. At the same time, it is very important for parents not to scold the child, not to put pressure on him, forcing him to do what he cannot do. A softer and more balanced approach is needed here.

They take into account not only the forms of dyslexia, but also how the problem manifests itself in dynamics, at different times.

At preschool age, the disease manifests itself as problems in speech, difficulties in learning, pronunciation of different words. The child is often confused, does not remember even a short set of phrases. It is difficult for him to master the basic skills of reading, writing, he confuses words and letters. All this can easily affect the quality of communication with classmates and peers - it gets worse.

At primary school age, problems manifest themselves not only at the level of words and syllables. It is already difficult for a child to memorize facts, he gets confused in arithmetic signs. The state is reflected in the development of new information. Problems of a different nature also continue: behavior becomes awkward, impulsive, coordination of movements is disturbed.

In middle school age, the diagnosis of dyslexia shows poor reading quality, poor memory. The child also reads poorly, pronounces words. Difficulties cause rebellion, so the student refuses to read and write, he has difficulty with gestures, facial expressions, and problems in communicating with peers increase.

At senior school age, there are problems with writing, reading, memorizing, and reproducing information. A slow speed of work is formed, which makes it seem that the teenager is “lazy”. Moreover, the problem extends further - often dyslexics find it difficult to adapt to any changes in life.

Symptoms of dyslexia in adults suggest problems with writing and reading, while distraction and inattention are added. An adult with such a disease often does not know how to plan his time - the quality of life is reduced.

Diagnostics

To diagnose dyslexia, a child is tested with various exercises. The specialist checks the features of long-term and short-term memory, the ability to analyze, the level of concentration, attention, logic, intelligence, etc. An important part of the work is a psychological examination - the symptoms of dyslexia are very diverse and require a personal approach.

Treatment, correction of dyslexia in Moscow

Defectologists, psychoneurologists can make a diagnosis of "dyslexia". A speech therapist can also refer for an additional examination, to whom parents often turn if they notice problems with speech or reading in a child.

Experts say that no two dyslexics are the same - therefore, the treatment of dyslexia is individual. Often, difficulties remain with a person for life - and then it is important to understand how to improve its quality, how to help a child cope with the main life tasks. In other situations, a fairly high-quality correction is possible. For these purposes, a special speech therapy program is selected. It is based on the type of dyslexia, the age of the person, as well as his personal characteristics.

Medical treatment of dyslexia remains at the moment in question.

Preventive measures

As soon as a child has problems with reading, writing, memorizing and other important functions, you should immediately contact a speech therapist, as well as provide him with a comfortable environment for learning, start using the exercises recommended by the speech therapist.

Educational games, emphasis on visual information in childhood, comprehensive (but not exhausting) attention from adults - all this will be a good prevention of the disease.

Common questions and answers

Is it possible to cure dyslexia completely?

It all depends on the specific situation. Sometimes it is possible to correct the problem to such an extent that it does not affect later life. But it is important to start work on time.

Who treats dyslexia?

We have already partially answered this question about dyslexia, what it is and how to treat it. After the diagnosis and exclusion of other pathologies, the main treatment is carried out by a speech therapist according to a special program.

Is dyslexia always an intellectual problem?

In no case. A child with dyslexia, with the right approach, can not only get a good profession, but also become very successful in it. Suffice it to say that famous people such as Steve Jobs, John Lennon or billionaire Richard Branson were dyslexic.

Dyslexia is by no means a sentence, but a problem that requires careful attention from adults.

Can't read or write