Impactos do material didático no processo de ensino de português para surdos no centro de estudos de línguas da UFAM

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze how the teaching materials used in classes impact the teaching process of Portuguese for deaf students at the Center for Language Studies of the Federal University of Amazonas (CEL/UFAM). CEL is a university extension project that offers accessible language courses to the internal and external community, playing a relevant role in the democratization of education. The theoretical framework included discussions about the repercussions of teaching materials in the teaching of Portuguese for deaf students (Quadros, 2004; Fernandes, 2006; Salles, 2004; Leffa, 2008, among others), articulated with reflections on university extension (Nogueira, 2005; Reis, 2010; Sousa, 2010, among others). This research adopted a qualitative approach, based on Minayo (2012), Severino (2016), and Gil (2017), and was characterized as a case study, according to Yin (2015), Gil (2017), and Paiva (2019). Three students from the Portuguese Language and Literature and Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) courses at UFAM (Federal University of Amazonas) participated in the study. These students worked or are currently working as teaching assistants in the Portuguese for the Deaf course at CEL (Center for Language Studies). Data was collected through a questionnaire administered via Google Forms, after obtaining informed consent. As part of the study, specific teaching materials for teaching Portuguese as a second language to deaf students were developed, applied in the CEL course, and analyzed from the perspective of the teaching assistant. The results indicated that the use of the developed material contributed to greater organization of classes, increased participation of deaf students, and better comprehension of written Portuguese, especially when mediated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) and supported by visual resources and contextualized activities. It was concluded that the production and application of teaching materials aligned with the linguistic and cultural specificities of the deaf community constitute a central element for the promotion of more inclusive and effective pedagogical practices in the context of university extension, reinforcing the social role of the public university in the construction of accessible educational proposals. This research was submitted to the Research Ethics Committee (CEP) of the Federal University of Amazonas and received a favorable opinion for its execution, meeting the ethical requirements foreseen for studies involving human subjects.