Complex Syllables: Inclusive Literacy Activities - Libras

WATCH THE FULL ACTIVITY VIDEO

⚠️ This material is an adapted Portuguese Language activity in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), designed to develop complex syllables during the literacy process, with visual and linguistic support for Deaf students.

Number of activities included:

4 adapted activities, organized in a visual, objective, and progressive sequence, focusing mainly on complex syllables formed by consonant clusters such as BR and DR.

The activity begins with the syllables BRA, BRE, BRI, BRO, and BRU, presented together with their representation in Libras. Students then identify images whose names contain BR, trace and complete words, recognize complex syllables in sentences, and finish by completing the names of pictures.

Target audience:

This material was developed primarily for Deaf students who use Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) and are developing literacy skills and learning written Portuguese.

It can also be used by Portuguese Language teachers, bilingual educators, Specialized Educational Support (AEE) professionals, and other educators working with Deaf students during the literacy process.

The activity is especially useful for students who need to establish connections between Libras, images, syllables, words, and written language, without relying exclusively on Portuguese texts or written instructions.

Format:

Printable full-color PDF, including:

🔹 4 adapted activities;
🔹 instructions presented in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) and Portuguese;
🔹 syllables accompanied by representations in Libras;
🔹 large, contextualized images;
🔹 reading and recognition activities;
🔹 dotted words and sentences for tracing;
🔹 word-completion activities;
🔹 standard capitalization and UPPERCASE versions.

For Teachers:

This activity approaches literacy through a multimodal learning process, bringing together Brazilian Sign Language, written Portuguese, and images.

In the first activity, students are introduced to the syllable family formed with BR, observe its representation in Libras, read BRA, BRE, BRI, BRO, and BRU, and then identify this consonant cluster in the names of different images.

On the second page, students progress from isolated syllables to words and sentences. They trace and read “João eats broccoli,” complete the word BROCCOLI, work with the sentence “Bruna loves a brigadeiro,” and identify the complex syllables within the words. Finally, they observe images and complete words such as PLANT and FRUITS using the missing syllables.

Key Features:

✅ Integrates literacy, Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), and written Portuguese within the same learning activity.

✅ Introduces the syllable family BRA, BRE, BRI, BRO, and BRU with visual support and representation in Libras.

✅ Begins with the isolated syllable and gradually progresses to identifying it within images, words, and sentences.

✅ Helps students establish connections between sign → image → syllable → written word, supporting bilingual literacy development.

✅ Uses different forms of participation, including reading, repeating, selecting, tracing, circling, and completing, rather than relying only on spontaneous writing.

✅ Uses images as functional learning supports, helping students connect object → word → syllable and expand their written vocabulary.

✅ Works with words in simple contexts, including BROCCOLI, BRUNA, and BRIGADEIRO, allowing students to recognize complex syllables within larger units of meaning.

✅ Progresses from recognizing the BR consonant cluster to identifying other complex syllable structures in words.

✅ Includes dotted letters and words for tracing, supporting handwriting practice alongside syllable recognition.

✅ Encourages the recognition of complex syllables within complete sentences, helping students move beyond isolated word reading.

✅ Reduces exclusive dependence on written Portuguese by combining Libras, images, and written language throughout the activity.

✅ Provides clear visual organization and objective instructions, supporting students who benefit from smaller learning steps and visual references.

✅ Supports the development of written Portuguese as a second language for Deaf students by connecting written forms with visual and linguistic references.

✅ Can be used in bilingual literacy instruction, general education classrooms, Specialized Educational Support (AEE), tutoring, or individual instruction.