In my opinion, I think we can start by validating their feelings. It’s common for students to sometimes feel disconnected from the coursework if they don't see its immediate relevance. You might say, "It sounds like you're feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from the course content, which is totally understandable." Literacy is not just about reading and writing, it's about understanding and interpreting information, which is crucial for solving problems and making informed decisions. Discussing how literacy can help them think critically about real world problems might motivate our classmate to engage more with their assignments.