QuíFunção?: uma ferramenta didática facilitadora do ensino de funções orgânicas para alunos surdos

Abstract

The inclusion of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) as a mandatory curricular subject in undergraduate courses, by decree n° 5.626, of December 22, 2005, resulted in an increase in research for effective methodologies that guarantee the learning of deaf students. It is also known that the part of the deaf community has difficulty learning science-related subjects, such as Chemistry, due to the complexity and absence of specific signs for the contents, increasing the use of dactylology and students' lack of interest during Libras’ classes. In some cases, however, there are several term signs that represent the same concept, as a result of an insufficiency of signs and the regionalism present in Libras. Furthermore, the need of more sign language teachers and, as a result, the lack of teaching materials for these students are factors that interfere with learning of Chemistry. Thus, the present study aims to develop didactic tools adapted for deaf students, using term signs in Libras, which were created by the students themselves to facilitate the teaching-learning process of Organic Functions content. The research was carried out with third year high school students of the Libras Instruction course, which included deaf and hearing students, from Joaquim Nogueira State School of Professional Education (EEEP), located in Fortaleza, Ceará. A bibliographic research to choose the theme was the first stage of the work followed by an analysis about the main Organic Functions covered in the National High School Exam (ENEM). The application of the activity took place through a study group, and the students elaborated term signs for this Organic Chemistry content. The signs created were used in the elaboration of an interactive chemistry game, and adapted in Libras, called “QuíFunção?”, which was later presented to the students. Finally, a research was carried out in order to verify the existing term-signs for Organic Functions in the literature. The analysis showed the presence of several signs for the same Organic Function, and it was possible to identify similarities between some signs created by the students in the city of Fortaleza and in the city of Linhares, in Espírito Santo. According to the results achieved, initially it was observed that most of deaf students had difficulty in studying Organic Functions, since they consider Chemistry as a subject that is difficult to understand. However, the students agreed that the use of images, signs and interactive games facilitated the learning of the content, since the deaf students created term signs according to the chemical functional groups and the applications of molecules in their everyday life. The activity also allowed the production of digitalized didactic material to facilitate the teaching of Organic Functions, initially, for future classes of the Libras Instruction course and, later, for use in other schools with bilingual education for deaf students. It is worth mentioning the interaction between the students, since the hearing students are future interpreters of Libras. They helped with the translation and with some concepts about Organic Chemistry for the elaboration of new signs.