The role of reading and writing for oncology patients

Abstract

Children and adolescents retain their right to education during hospitalization due to cancer, as treatment often extends over long periods and leads to school discontinuity. This article aims to explore the reading and writing strategies developed within the hospital playroom to enhance the learning processes of oncology patients. The theoretical and methodological framework is grounded in a qualitative approach, adopting an exploratory case study design. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with undergraduate Pedagogy students who are members of the extension project “Estudar, uma ação saudável” (Studying, A Healthy Action). The results highlight reading and writing as pedagogical practices that help disrupt the rigidity of the medical routine and promote interactions among children through action/mediation, thereby strengthening the skills, expressive abilities, and creativity of oncology patients. It is concluded that the hospital playroom, locus of the aforementioned project, extends beyond recreational activities, providing, through reading and writing practices, a renewed connection with school.