Language is inherent to Deaf culture – Perspectives of LGP and LIBRAS teachers on teaching SignWriting to bilingual deaf children

Abstract

This article approaches deafness from a socio-anthropological perspective, focusing on the bilingual education of Deaf children in Portugal. It highlights the challenges of learning written Portuguese, particularly due to the absence of phonological awareness, and proposes SignWriting (SW), a writing notation system for sign languages, as a viable alternative. To better understand teachers’ perspectives on this system, four Deaf teachers of Portuguese Sign Language (LGP) and Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) were interviewed. The results suggest differing perceptions regarding the status and relevance of SW in education, emphasizing it as a Deaf cultural marker that is pedagogically effective in teaching writing. It is concluded that the systematic integration of SW into bilingual education could foster inclusion and academic success among Deaf students.