The recognition and professionalization of teachers of Sign Language

Alexandra Perry, Cláudio Fonseca, Portugal

Lesico 2017, Saturday 14th October 2017, Basel

The aim of the Association of Teaching of Portuguese Sign Language (AFOMOS) is to defend and promote the interests of professionals related to the teaching of the Portuguese Sign Language (LGP). In Portugal, teachers of the Sign Language aren´t yet definitively recognized as teachers who are barred from the right to career progression on an equal basis with other teachers from other disciplinary areas. Although they teach the discipline of Sign Language as the first language of deaf students, with a curricular program approved by the Ministry of Education. The curriculum of Sign Language in primary and secondary education determines the pedagogical and curricular criteria of levels of schooling for evaluation and the guidelines of deaf students with the discipline of the Sign Language, in practice, aren´t still often recognized on the assessment charts of students who have LGP discipline. Promoting the Sign Language as a center of interdisciplinary between the cultural and linguistic idiosyncrasy and the learning by this language. As an effective instrument of access to quality education as an essential condition for the full enjoyment by the active citizenship, which clearly recognizes the bilingual education of the Deaf people. As a process of linguistic normalization to achieve school success of Deaf students, with the same pedagogical and curricular criteria of excellence quality.