Escola Estadual de Educação Especial
Santa Maria-Rio Grande do sul - Brasil
Director: Dr. Reinaldo Fernando Cóser

Teacher Sonia Messerschimidt explains:

"In our school, the first language is sign language and the second language is Portuguese. We have 117 students from age 3 to age 60. All are Deaf. Two students are Deaf-Blind. All learn SignWriting except for the two Deaf-Blind students. This is a unique school that is a Magisterium for the Deaf in Brazil."

Sonia graduated in Letras Libras Santa Catarina Federal University and is currently studying psychology at the Lutheran University of Brazil, while teaching 40 hours a week at the school.

Sonia has developed beautiful learning materials for her Deaf students in SignWriting, and took photos of the materials. Go to the photo gallery.

Blog About The School
Escola Estadual de Educação Especial
This blog belongs to the State School of Special Education Dr. Reinaldo Fernando Cóser, inaugurated on March 7, 2001. It operates in the education of deaf students, from kindergarten, primary education, adult education (initial and final years), High School, Normal Course - Teacher Training Deaf. This school is located on the street Valdemar Coimbra, s / n, Lorenzi Village, Santa Maria / RS.

A Escola tem como filosofia uma proposta de educação bilíngue para surdos, a língua de sinais como primeira língua e a língua portuguesa, na modalidade escrita, como segunda. Este ambiente linguístico tem como propósito promover o desenvolvimento do cidadão analítico, reflexivo, crítico, capaz de transitar emocional e intelectualmente pela sociedade.

Translation from Google:
The school philosophy is a proposal for bilingual education for the deaf, sign language as their first language and Portuguese language, in written form, as the second. This linguistic environment aims to promote the development of citizen analytical, reflective, critical, able to move emotionally and intellectually by the society.