Intérprete de língua de sinais: um estudo sobre suas concepções de prática profissional junto a estudantes surdos

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the conceptions of professional practice of the Sign Language Interpreter - ILS, which acts in the educational context of deaf students. The study was marked out by following questions: What are the ILS conceptions about their professional practice? How this professional action may or may not contribute to the learning process of deaf students, according to the ILS? Analyze the conceptions of the Sign Language Interpreter regarding the professional practice, and how it may contribute to the learning process of the deaf student was one of the objectives of this study, besides seeking to grasp the conception of ILS about its role in the context of the education of the deaf in regular schools, in groups with deaf students and hearing teachers. This is an exploratory research, which was developed from the qualitative approach that involved two steps: a theoretical- bibliographical and the field research. As an instrument of data collection, we chose to carry out a focus group with ILS from the cities of Uberlândia and region that had more than four years of performance in an educational context. The data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. From the analysis of the data, it was possible to understand that ILS conceptions about its role in the educational context of deaf students in regular schools is not yet fully defined. However, there is a consensus of the group regarding their role as an "agent" of inclusion, and their responsibility as mediator of knowledge, rather than just mediator of communication, between the listener teacher and the deaf student. We believe that this study is relevant because the Sign Language Interpreter's awareness of its importance as an instrument of accessibility for the deaf student in the inclusive educational context can influence the way they act in the classroom and, consequently, can be determinant for success Of these learners, as well as for their autonomy as subjects of the educational process.