O aprendizado da língua portuguesa por jovens e adultos surdos

Abstract

The unsatisfactory results both on reading and writing have been matter of concern among professional who work with deaf students. Teacher, researchers and the deaf community agree that the majority language (Portuguese language, in the case of Brazilians) is very difficult to be learned by people who can’t hear. However, authors such as Svartholm (1998) and Pereira (2000; 2005), for instance, have said that although deafness can hamper the learning of the majority language, it is not impossible for deaf students to learn it and to exercise it well. The results will depend mainly on language knowledge that students acquire. Until the 80’s, sign language in Brazil was forbidden in schools and deaf students had to learn to communicate orally. Some of them could manage to understand and used Portuguese oral language, but the majority had difficulties and many couldn’t achieve good results. Since the past few years, especially after the approval of the Federal Law 10.098, which recognizes Brazilian sign language as the language of the deaf community and the decree 5626, from 2005, which regulates the 10.098 Law, the sign language began to be considered the first language of the deaf, and the Portuguese language the second. Thus, the formal education of deaf students must be bilingual. This means that students have the right to learn sign language, whilst the Portuguese language will be acquired by using sign language as it’s main reference. Considering that the majority of children are raised in homes that have listening members, it is possible to assert that in general these children begin going to school with no previously acquired language at all. At school, the learning of reading and writing will mean the learning of a new language. Bilingual education, as proposed by the 5626 decree means that the school must emphasize the learning of Brazilian sign language, and based in it learn also the written Portuguese language. Thinking of students that will attend school later than the usual, this work analyzes the learning of the Portuguese language among deaf teenagers and adults. The development of this work was possible by bibliographic research and also the observation of a school for the deaf in São Paulo. By analyzing classes and written materials produced by teenage deaf students that are learning the Portuguese language, it was possible to verify that, despite the difficulties, deaf students can produce written material that is fully understandable. As a final consideration, the author emphasizes that teachers should work by using texts, rather than isolated words. By this increasing vocabulary and general knowledge that students must have in order to be able to write texts. The author also reminds that teachers and family members must 10 believe in the aptitude of their students and deaf children and encourage them to always study