ALFABETIZAÇÃO EM PORTUGUÊS DE PESSOAS SURDAS SINALIZANTES DA LIBRAS

UM ESTUDO BIBLIOGRÁFICO

Abstract

The literacy development of deaf individuals who use Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) is a significant area of research, as for children with severe and profound deafness, learning written Portuguese involves learning a new language and mastering an alphabetical writing system without auditive access to spoken Portuguese. This paper provides a review of theses and dissertations on the acquisition of Brazilian Portuguese literacy skills by deaf users of Libras, produced in the period 2002–2021. The research aimed to explore how literacy develops in this population and to identify implications for teaching written Portuguese to deaf students. A search of Open Access data from Brazil’s national higher education agency CAPES found 18 dissertations and 4 theses produced in the period 2002–2021. From the identification of the works, the abstracts were analyzed. Some of the major themes emerging from the findings of these studies include: (i) the unique aspects of literacy development in the context of deaf learners vis-à-vis the phonographic basis of the written language; (ii) the role of sign language as a medium for literacy acquisition and the bilingual education approach; (iii) literacy teaching methods and broader methodological aspects; (iv) teacher training and education; (v) the inclusion of deaf students in general education. By examining these themes, this review contributes to a deeper understanding of the literacy experiences of deaf Libras users and provides insights for educators and researchers.