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Social Representations; Portuguese Language and Libras Undergraduate
Program; Higher Education; Teaching.
The dissertation entitled “Social Representations of Professors in the Undergraduate
Program in Portuguese Language and Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) at UFRN
Regarding Deaf Students Enrolled in the Program” aims to analyze the social
representations held by professors who teach in the Undergraduate Program in
Portuguese Language and Libras at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte
(UFRN) concerning their deaf students. This study adopts a qualitative approach, of a
basic and explanatory nature, and is conducted through field research. Data were
collected באמצעות questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, both recorded on
video in order to ensure accessible participation for both deaf and hearing faculty
members, in Libras and in Portuguese. The study involved 20 professors affiliated with
the program. Data analysis is grounded in the Contextualization Spiral (Arruda, 2002)
and anchored in the Theory of Social Representations (Moscovici, 1976). The results
indicate that professors’ social representations are organized around different axes of
meaning regarding deaf students, revealing tensions among conceptions of linguistic
difference, pedagogical practices, and institutional teaching conditions. Although deaf
students are recognized as subjects of rights, language, and culture, representations
marked by notions of difficulty, gaps in teacher training, and dependence on
institutional mediation still persist. At the same time, the findings highlight the
transformative potential of the presence of deaf students in the university, particularly
in strengthening Libras, expanding discussions on accessibility, and prompting
changes in teaching practices. It is concluded that understanding these
representations is essential for strengthening bilingual, accessible pedagogical
practices committed to ensuring the retention and active participation of deaf students
in higher education.