Percepções dos professores de ciências sobre o surdo e a surdez nas escolas municipais de São João do Piauí

Abstract

The process of acquiring knowledge about deaf individuals and deafness is fundamental to understanding how a deaf person learns and develops, requiring attention to the cultural, identity-related, and linguistic aspects that permeate deaf education. Accordingly, this study aims to examine how Science teachers from municipal lower secondary schools in São João do Piauí perceive deaf individuals and deafness. Methodologically, the research is applied, descriptive, qualitative, and field-based, employing a semi-structured interview with ten open-ended questions addressed to four Science teachers working in the following schools: Centro Educacional Liberalina Paes Landim and Unidade Escolar Genezia Arraes. For data analysis, the Iramuteq software was used to generate categories and analyze the material based. The findings indicate that a portion of the teachers interviewed lack awareness of the distinctions between 'deaf per-son,' 'deafness,' and 'hearing impairment,' attributing clinical-therapeutic meanings to these terms. Furthermore, the study identified a lack of continued training in Libras for teachers, technical staff, and other professionals; a shortage of classroom interpreters; and an absence of inclusive public policies aimed at promoting bilingual education for deaf individuals. Therefore, it is concluded that deconstructing cultural and social stigmas related to deaf people and deafness contributes to the recognition and appreciation of deaf individuals within their socio-historical frameworks.