Educação e desenvolvimento da criança surda no contexto escolar

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis, developed in the Pedagogy program at the Federal University of Goiás, aimed to understand the limits and possibilities of the education and development of deaf children in the school context. The study sought to: (i) discuss the development of language in deaf children based on contributions related to mediation, language, and deafness as a cultural construction; (ii) analyze how recent academic literature has addressed the education and development of deaf children in Brazil; and (iii) reflect on the contributions of bilingual education to the linguistic development of deaf children. The research adopted a qualitative approach, using a bibliographic review conducted in the CAPES and BDTD databases. Articles, theses, and dissertations published between 2005 and 2025 were selected and organized into thematic categories aligned with theoretical perspectives from historical-cultural studies and sociocultural conceptions of deafness. The results indicate that Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) is a central element in the cognitive, social, and identity development of deaf children, acting as a mediator of interactions and meaningmaking processes. The literature highlights that bilingual school environments, with the presence of deaf teachers and pedagogical practices mediated by Libras, foster language development, autonomy, and cultural belonging. Persistent challenges were also identified, such as the continuity of oralist practices, gaps in teacher training, difficulties in implementing public policies for bilingual education, and limited research on visual resources, bilingual early childhood education, and teacher preparation in Libras. The study concludes that the development of deaf children depends on linguistically rich environments, inclusive pedagogical mediation, and early access to Libras. The findings reaffirm that bilingual education is a fundamental right and that teacher training, the presence of deaf educators, and recognition of deaf culture are essential elements for achieving effective inclusion. This research contributes to the field of Pedagogy by revealing the need for more consolidated educational policies and further studies on bilingual practices, deaf childhood, and linguistic development