DEAF STUDENTS AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL: CHALLENGES FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION

Abstract

This article concerns the challenges of bilingual education for deaf students in the public school. It presents considerations based on the results of a research developed in two public schools in Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil: two cases of teaching-learning processes in Portuguese Language area, by two deaf students in the 5th grade. The study made use of direct observation of the context and short semi-structured interviews. We can affirm that both schools offered the set of support provided for attending the students, however, the work still seems to be organized in a context of adaptation of deaf students to pedagogical projects, from the paradigm of deafness only as a disability.  The use of Libras was perceived only as a mediator in the learning of the Portuguese Language; in addition without considering the linguistic particularities of deaf students; as well. the inattention to the construction and/or affirmation of their identities. It confirms how far we are from a bilingual and bicultural teaching for the deaf from the perspective of Inclusive Education.