Attention book lovers!
The Monthly On-line book discussion is aimed around having professional discussion, inspired and directly applicable to our professional work as sign language interpreters. Books and themes are chosen only from non-fiction works, used in higher education, to explore lived experiences, research, and historical learnings that deepen our understanding of our work, culture, and community and ultimately our perspectives and behaviors.
What is the On-line group like?
Sessions go for the calendar month advertised, with registration allowed until the 5th day of each month. A weekly reflection question prompts readers to write thoughtful responses on the chapters assigned that week, as well as responding to peers reflections to engage in meaningful conversation. There is a due date each week to keep the flow of conversation going through the end of the book in week 4. There is no specific time to be on-line each week, and no live discussions. Log in anytime, multiple times per week to read over the discussion and post your reflections. At the end of the month, the RID CMP Sponsor, Ginevra Deianni, who is also the moderator, reviews posted assignments and then awards RID CEUs either by directly posting the CEUs to your RID transcript or via a Certificate of Completion for BEI and state certifications.
Note: Participants must purchase their own book to participate, due to copyright laws. The cost of each monthly book club covers all CEU processing fees and RID CMP oversight, but the book must be purchased independently by the participant (like a college course and the corresponding textbooks).
Cost: $80 per monthly session
CEUs: All book club sessions earn 1.0 RID CEUs
Register: by the 5th of each month for the current monthly session, or register in advance for any book on the list.
Registering now - April Session:
"How Doctors Think"
By: Jerome Groopman
April 1 - 30, 2026 1.0 PS CEUs - NOW $80!
This book examines the cognitive processes and biases that shape how physicians diagnose and treat patients, showing how reasoning errors and snap judgments can affect medical decisions. Drawing on clinical stories and interviews, Groopman highlights that medicine is both a science and a human practice shaped by narrative and communication. For ASL interpreters, the book offers insight into clinical reasoning and interaction norms, inviting interpreters to reflect on how these patterns intersect with Deaf cultural perspectives and communication approaches. As active participants in the encounter, we inevitably influence the flow of conversation. Understanding & discussing these concepts can help us make more intentional linguistic choices that minimize disruption while promoting clarity and meaningful connection between provider and patient.
Registering now through April 5th
2026 Book Titles*:
- May: “The Elements of Mentoring” by: W. Brad Johnson & Charles R. Ridley
- June: “Deaf Utopia” by: Nyle DeMarco
- July: Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well" by: Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
- August: “The Art of Being Deaf” by Donna McDonald
- September: “Deaf People in Hitler’s Europe” by: Donna F Ryan & John S Schuchman
- October: “What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear” by: Danielle Ofri
- November: “Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past & Reimagining Our Future” by: Patty Krawec
- Dec: TBD
*All titles and session months subject to change
What if I miss a book club monthly session, but love the book title?
No worries! You can find all our monthly book club selections in the Cultural Novel Project Series (still 1.0 CEUs) to do anytime, on your own, with a similar reflection writing format. See that project page for more details.