O português como segunda língua dos surdos brasileiros: uma apresentação panorâmica

Abstract

This article aims to present and discuss, in a panoramic view, issues related to the situation of deaf Brazilians while learners and users of Portuguese as a second language (PSL). The work discusses studies about bilingualism and the bilingual education of the deaf and about the acquisition and the teaching-learning processes of PSL in this group. Particular attention is brought to the importance of a bilingual education as an adequate proposal for the deaf community linguistic needs. Regarding the deaf people’s condition as users and learners of PSL, it is relevant to highlight: (i) the needs of these learners, such as the use of written Portuguese in various social spheres; (ii) the similarities between the deaf and other learners of PSL; and (iii) the specificities of deaf learners. Finally, it is emphasized that the deaf people’s specificities in relation to the visual apprehension of the written language, the mediation of Libras in the learning of PSL, as well as the writing characteristics of the deaf person and the importance of a cohesive evaluation.