This paper aims at making a discussion regarding two main ideological paradigms in deaf education, namely, pathological and cultural. To accomplish that, I point out the importance of discussing concepts such hearing impaired, deaf-mute, and mute in order to deconstruct the negative connotations these names imply in the social representation and cultural identity of deaf individuals. In addition, it will be shown how these views are present in social environments, specially in the classroom interaction between deaf teachers and hearing students. The data is generated and analyzed through ethnographic perspectives in Brazilian Sign Language teaching contexts.
deaf education; deaf cultures and identities; brazilian sign language
