fluency and reception - reading above their level

[teafor1]

My 5 year old son is coming home with RWI red ditty books having just finished the floppy phonics ones 1+. He reads all the words in these books without sounding out but each word is said separately, ie not fluently or smooth sounding. He understands what he is reading. At home he is reading books that are about ORT 3 level (a variety of sources - scheme books or library books). Again there is not much fluency but he does have some intonation when reading. He does more sounding out with the harder books. He seems to enjoy reading and does it before bed every day. I realize that he'll eventually be more fluent reading the easier books because he won't be concentrating on the decoding part but is it hurting him to read the harder books? He does understand them and gladly answers questions or does the "story map" at the end of the Collins Big Cat books. Occasionally I'll give him an ever harder book just because I know he'll be particularly interested in it. For instance I just gave him one about tadpoles turning into frogs. It was a slog for him to read but he really enjoyed it. He actually gets mad if I try to help him too much! :D

So my main question is: is it ok for a child to read books that are above their level if they are not frustrated with it? More practice the better right? Thank you!

[teafor1]

He is fine being helped with a specific word or sound and being corrected if wrong. It's TOO much help that is objected to. So the bare minimum to get it right if that makes sense.

[Periwinkle007]

yes I can see what learnandsay is getting at. I think as long as you are there reading with him and can correct/help as and when necessary then it is fine. my daughter is starting to read to herself in her head and I was quite concerned (especially with her having some dyslexia problems) that she may just be reading the words wrongly or skipping bits and not realising so we tend to do it that she reads a couple of pages to herself then comes to me and we talk about it and look at any new words and she tells me what happened and then reads some to me. In practice she often comes and says 'is this word ...?' 'I think this says ...., is that right?' so I feel I can trust her not to just guess at things wrongly.