Multilingualism in language acquisition in deaf children: a systematic literature review

revisão sistemática de literatura

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Objective: To verify in the literature studies on language acquisition by deaf children from a bilingual perspective. Method: Systematic review in the Virtual Health Library (BVS) databases in Brazilian Portuguese, English, and Spanish over the last 5 years. The PRISMA methodology was applied, using descriptors in double association, to identify eligible studies. Results: Of the initial 1609 studies, 7 were included in the review, with 3 in English (42.8%) and 4 in Brazilian Portuguese (57.1%). The oldest study was from the year 2020, and the most recent from 2023. The studies highlighted the challenges faced by deaf children in language acquisition, the importance of LIBRAS as the first language, and the lack of awareness about the benefits of multilingualism and assistive devices. Conclusion: There is methodological variability in the process of language acquisition by deaf children, with a predominance of oralism over LIBRAS due to the lack of knowledge among teachers and families. There is a gap regarding speech therapy rehabilitation with an emphasis on multilingualism/bilingualism in deaf children, suggesting the need for further research in this area.

Descriptors: language development, deafness, sign language, multilingualism, speech therapy.