Check out Reader’s Digest. Find out what his interests are, say he likes science and technology for example. Contact Scientific American and ask them about this. I would also contact the local school system and see if they can offer you assistance. Be careful w/ him as oftentimes men who are functionally illiterate have an immensely difficult time with self-esteem and loss of face issues. Shower him w/ love and positive vibes. Present new material as gifts. Buy him books if you can afford it. Have him read My Side of the Mountain, any book by Gary Paulsen, things like this will more than likely hold his attention. They are REAL page turners. Best of luck to you, and to him. There is no greater job you could be doing that I’m aware of. Contact Scholastic Book Company, too, in NYC, I think, and if you need donations, ask for them! Big love, huge ups to you!

i go off your circuit of reasoning.

and suggest that he be taught to keep a journal with the few words he has learnt and daily add one or two words to reach a reasonable quantity in some weeks .then start making little sentences. -let mistakes go, he will have time to review all and correct bit by bit.Learning means making mistakes . Then write little sentences about himself of his family ,.that would be at stage two .at stage three he starts writing a bit better and much about himself,that is history and will no doubt interest him at reading others later- you have developed an interest in him! ;stories. All in one could take some months -daily at one or two hours.What he has done in fact by the exercise? he is developing his mental powers, and writing with hand ( any) and developing a habit to think and write better..I have have tried this in over 100 societies of the world since five decades with hit success.and up to now it is being propagated by others of my circle. The BEST and It COST NOTHING at TUITION.

At the end the kid or adult ( even of 75 have learned language this way)has been able to remember,reason,think positive the inquisitive and critical ways, at all this what has our learners done?Not created something out of nothing?some call it creative thinking but they miss the rungs of the ladder at the journal keeping exercise -and the kids go astray in life one day. What they learnt by creative thinking and how it helped them go positive in life at human behavior? such are the questions the proffessors have still to reply!lasts year in Hong Kong a seminar was held at creative thinking -many nations attended to find what it was and how the project will work but they shunned the questions at human behavior -” too busy next time was the common reply! and all know next time will never come .

I laughed at hearing that -that much that I fell sick for two days!

Sorry for being too much off line. I could read you what you meant by your question that’s why I jumped where you omitted.My dear try what i said above and see the truth for yourself.. This way I caused millions of the world to learn English by themselves!and even submitted reports at the experiences to authorities responsible for the ENGLISH language-no rely upto now and it’s decades now.!

A Child Called It is pretty good.

Try audio books.