O bebê surdo na educação infantil : um olhar sobre inclusão e práticas pedagógicas

Abstract

This study aimed at analyzing the inclusion of two deaf young children, aged 1, in a city-run preschool in Vitória, ES. A historical – cultural perspective of human development grounded our work, i.e., the subject is seen as constituted by social relations, and in this process undergoes and affects changes. In this sense, human development is realized through interactions with others, mediated by language, means of communication, and thought. In this context, deaf children in Brazil can benefit from the teaching of LIBRAS (Língua Brasileira dos Sinais ) at preschool, as LIBRAS has matured to constitute a full language, with its own lexicogrammar, syntax and morphology. An ethnographic case-study was the methodology here adopted, as this approach better addressed the needs of our investigation. Participant observation, field diaries, semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used for data collection. For data analysis, we focused on the beliefs held by the school staff concerning inclusion, deafness, care of the deaf, and teaching the deaf, along with perceptions about preschool leisure activities. Our results showed that many teachers remain doubtful about how to effectively operationalize inclusion, and many are not familiar with LIBRAS and resort to gestures in the absence of expertise. However, it must be stressed that a full adoption of LIBRAS is indeed challenging, and the staff at the school have a positive attitude towards inclusive education and the need of expertise in the work with deaf children. Besides, the school’s bilingual team is firmly committed to provide an equal educational environment and to encourage and support the school staff.