Why "Trying Harder" Doesn't Fix Literacy Struggles
- Garry Anderson
- Jan 16
- 7 min read
The Phrase That Sounds Helpful but Isn't
"Try harder" is one of the most common phrases used when a child struggles with reading or writing. It is usually said with good intentions - as encouragement, motivation, or reassurance that effort leads to success.
In many areas of learning, this message makes sense. Practice does matter. Persistence matters. But when it comes to literacy difficulties, especially those linked to dyslexia or other processing differences, this advice often misses the mark.
For children who are already putting in significant effort, being told to try harder can feel confusing or discouraging. They may be concentrating intensely, practising regularly, and still not seeing improvement. Over time, this can lead to the belief that the problem lies with them, rather than with how the skill is being taught.
What sounds like motivation can unintentionally place responsibility on the child for a difficulty they do not fully control. Instead of helping, it can increase pressure and undermine confidence.
Understanding why "trying harder" isn't enough is the first step towards offering support that actually helps children make progress - without blame or shame.
Why "Trying Harder" Is So Commonly Suggested
When a child struggles with literacy, adults naturally want to help. Encouraging effort feels positive, familiar, and safe. It reflects a genuine belief in resilience and the value of persistence.
In school settings, effort is often closely linked to success. Children are regularly praised for trying, practising, and not giving up - and in many areas of learning, increased effort does lead to improvement. It is understandable, then, that this message is applied to literacy as well.
Literacy difficulties, however, are often invisible. A child may appear to be working normally while using significantly more mental energy than their peers. Without a clear understanding of what sits beneath reading and writing, it can be easy to assume that the issue is motivation rather than processing.
There is also pressure on adults. Teachers are balancing large classes, busy timetables, and accountability demands. Parents may feel anxious and unsure how best to support their child. In these situations, "try harder" can become a default response rather than a deliberate strategy.
Recognising why this message is so commonly used helps us move away from blame and towards better support. The problem is not that adults care too little - it's that literacy difficulties require a different kind of response.
What Literacy Actually Requires (Beyond Effort)
Reading and writing are often treated as simple, natural skills. in reality, they rely on a complex combination of processes working together in the brain.
To read accurately, a child needs to recognise sounds in spoken language, link those sounds to letters, and blend them smoothly to read words. This requires phonological awareness, decoding skills, and enough working memory to hold information while meaning is constructed.
Writing adds another layer. Children must generate ideas, organise them, remember spelling patterns, apply grammar, and physically record their thoughts - often all at once. For learners with processing differences, this creates a high cognitive load, even when motivation is strong.
These skills do not develop through effort alone. They need to be explicitly taught, practised in manageable steps, and reinforced over time. Without clear instruction, repeating the same task simple reinforces difficulty rather than building understanding.
When literacy struggles are framed as a lack of effort, the real issue is missed. The child does not need to try harder - they need the right teaching approach for how their brain learns.
What Happens When Children Key Trying - and Still Struggle
When children are encouraged to try harder and do exactly that, but still don't make progress, the impact can be significant.
At first, many children respond by increasing effort. They concentrate more, practise longer, and put extra energy into their work. When this doesn't lead to success, confusion often sets in. Children may begin to wonder why their hard work isn't paying off.
Over time, frustration and anxiety can grow. Literacy tasks become associated with stress rather than learning. Some children start to avoid reading and writing altogether, while others become perfectionistic, afraid to make mistakes.
For many learners confidence begins to erode. Being told to try harder can reinforce the idea that the difficulty is their fault. This belief can be particularly damaging for dyslexic learners, who are often already working harder than their peers just to keep up.
These reactions are not signs of poor attitude or low motivation. They are understandable responses to repeated difficulty without the right support. Recognising this helps shift the focus from effort to instruction - and from blame to understanding.
Effort vs Instruction: The Missing Piece
Effort plays an important role in learning, but it cannot replace effective instruction. Trying harder helps children practise skills they already have - it does not teach skills that are missing.
When literacy instruction is unclear or assumes that children will "pick things up," learners who need more explicit teaching are left to struggle. Repeating the same tasks without addressing underlying gaps often leads to frustration rather than progress.
Effective literacy support focuses on how skills are taught. This includes breaking reading and spelling down into small, manageable steps, teaching patterns explicitly, and providing regular opportunities to practise with feedback. When instruction matches how a child processes information, effort becomes productive rather than exhausting.
This is why some children appear to make sudden progress once the right approach is introduced. It is not that they were not trying before - it is that they finally have access to teaching that makes sense to them.
Understanding the difference between effort and instruction allows adults to respond more appropriately. Instead of asking children to try harder, we can focus on providing the support that enables learning to happen.
Why This Message Is Especially Harmful for Dyslexic Learners
For dyslexic learners, the message "try harder" can be particularly damaging - not because effort doesn't matter, but because it overlooks the reality of how much effort is already being used.
Many dyslexic children are working significantly harder than their peers just to complete everyday literacy tasks. Reading may require intense concentration. Writing may involve holding multiple pieces of information in the mind at once. By the end of a lesson, they may be mentally exhausted, even if their work does not reflect the level of effort involved.
When these learners are told to try harder, the implication is often that they are not doing enough. Over time, this can lead to self-blame. Children may begin to believe that they are lazy, or simply "not good at school," despite consistently trying their best.
This message can also discourage help-seeking. If the problem is framed as effort, children may feel that asking for support is a sign of weakness rather than a sensible response to difficulty.
For dyslexic learners, progress comes not from pushing harder, but from being taught differently. Recognising this protects confidence, validates effort, and opens the door to support that actually works.
What Actually Helps Instead
When literacy struggles persist, meaningful progress comes from changing the support, not increasing the pressure.
Explicit, structured literacy teaching is one of the most effective ways to support learners who find reading and writing difficult. Teaching skills step by step, revisiting them regularly, and ensuring understanding at each stage helps reduce cognitive overload and build confidence.
Adjustments that reduce unnecessary barriers also make a difference. Extra processing time, clear instructions, and breaking tasks into smaller steps allow learners to focus on learning rather than coping. These supports do not lower expectations - they make learning accessible.
Assistive technology can further support independence. Tools such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and spelling support help learners demonstrate understanding while literacy skills continue to develop.
Just as importantly, learners need reassurance that difficulty does not equal failure. When adults acknowledge effort, validate frustration, and respond calmly to mistakes, children are more likely to stay engaged and persevere.
By focusing on instruction, access, and emotional safety, we replace the message of "try harder" with something far more helpful: you are capable, and the right support will help you get there.
What Parents and Teachers Can Say Instead
The words adults use around literacy difficulties matter. Small shifts in language can change how children understand their struggles - and how they see themselves as learners.
Instead of saying "try harder," it can be more helpful to acknowledge the difficulty and focus on support. Phrases such as "This is hard because it hasn't clicked yet," or "Let's find a way that works better for you," validate effort without placing blame.
Reassuring learners that needing help is normal also makes a difference. Saying "Lots of people learn this differently," or "It's okay to need support while you're learning," helps reduce shame and encourages help-seeking.
For teachers, framing feedback around learning rather than performance can protect confidence. Comments that recognise strategies, persistence, or problem-solving - even when outcomes are not yet secure - reinforce a sense of capability.
For parents, focusing on understanding rather than correction can make literacy support at home feel safer. Talking through ideas, sharing reading aloud, and using supportive tools all communicate the message that learning is a process, not a test of worth.
Replacing pressure with understanding helps children stay engaged - and creates the conditions where real progress can happen.
Effort With the Right Support
Effort matters in learning - but only when it is matched with teaching and support that make learning possible.
When children are given the message that trying harder is the solution to literacy difficulties, the real barriers are often overlooked. Skills that have not been explicitly taught cannot be accessed through effort alone.
A more effective approach recognises that progress comes from understanding how children learn, adapting instruction accordingly, and creating environments where mistakes are part of learning rather than a measure of ability.
When effort is combined with clear instruction, appropriate adjustments, and emotional safety, children are far more likely to engage, persist, and succeed. Confidence is protected, motivation is sustained, and learning becomes something children feel capable of - not something they feel judged by.
Shifting the focus from "trying harder" to "learning differently" allows literacy support to be both effective and compassionate - supporting children not just to improve their skills, but to believed in themselves as learners.
"Trying Harder" Doesn't Fix Literacy Struggles
"Trying Harder" doesn't fix literacy struggles, so being told to try harder rarely provides the support they need. Understanding why effort alone isn't enough allows adults to respond in ways that are more effective and more compassionate.
Literacy struggles are best addressed through clear teaching, appropriate adjustments, and an approach that recognises how each child learns. When support is matched to need, progress becomes possible - without plane or pressure.
If this perspective resonates, you may find it helpful to explore our related articles on literacy development, dyslexia, and confidence in learning, or to learn more about our approach to supporting children through structured, inclusive practice.
Support does not need to begin with urgency. It begins with understanding - and with recognising that literacy struggles are not a reflection of effort, but of the support required.
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