Memórias de Zelia de Lourdes, professora pioneira no acolhimento a estudantes surdos(as) nos processos de inclusão educacional, no Cabo de Santo Agostinho/PE, a partir da década de 1980

Abstract

This dissertation addresses the pioneering trajectory of Zelia de Lourdes, a teacher who stood out for welcoming and including deaf students in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco, from the 1980s onwards. It analyzes the complexities involved in teacher training( as) and promoting educational inclusion, considering social, political and cultural challenges in different historical contexts and societies. Furthermore, it emphasizes the role of the Catholic Church in Western culture in terms of its impact on the education of deaf people, from the formation of religious educational spaces to accommodation, by the public authorities, initially in special classes, and, later, in regular classes. with the use of Libras interpreters in the classroom. Zelia de Lourdes' approach transcends traditional teaching, emphasized by support, the promotion of a culture of respect and equity, as well as the implementation of innovative pedagogical practices, including the use of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), in a period that prioritized the use of oralization, and the insertion of deaf people into the job market. This narrative, based on Oral Life History and analysis of historical literature, contributes to academic literature by emphasizing educational approaches that value and respect diversity. It serves as a reminder of the impact of “historigraphy from below”, demonstrating how individual actions can transform educational practices and foster a more inclusive and equitable society.