What can Toastmasters do for you?
Membership in a Toastmasters Club provides:
Affiliation with an international educational association.
Professionally prepared materials and program resources concerning
Leadership development through experience as an elected or appointed official.
Experience in communication through participation in the "by doing" program.
Opportunities for personal and occupational recognition based on improved abilities and expanded experience.
The satisfaction of helping others improve their communication and leadership skills while improving your own.
Typical Meeting of Yum Chat Toastmasters
Toastmasters International provides a professionally prepared educational program that will improve each member's ability to speak and lead. Meetings are conducted by the members themselves in a friendly and supportive atmosphere that encourages self-improvement. The best way to learn is by doing, and that's how and why Toastmasters works.
The Agenda:
Business Section
- Club Business
- Announcements on upcoming Toastmasters events
Educational Program
- Three or four Prepared Speeches (5-7 minutes each typical ) by members based on projects from the
- Table Topics (1-2 minute speeches on topical events) giving members the opportunity to practice impromptu speaking in a variety of situations.
- Speaker Evaluations (2-3 minutes each) members providing valuable feedback regarding the strengths and weaknesses of each prepared speech.
General Meeting Evaluation
- A critique of the evaluations and the meeting as a whole.
Presentations of Awards / Announcements
Besides "prepared" speaking projects from the C&L manuals, each member will also have the opportunity to serve in other assigned roles; rotated among all members to provide a variety of experience.
See the Roles of the Meeting Participants.
The Roles of the Meeting Participants
Chairperson
Each meeting members take turn in chairing the meeting.
Toastmaster
The Toastmaster leads the speaking program, introduces the speakers and keeps the meeting flowing smoothly and "on-time."
General/Master Evaluator
The General Evaluator provides feedback on the overall quality of the meeting.
Table Topics Master
The Topics Master leads a "Table Topics" session giving members a speech topic, usually from common knowledge or on current events, letting the member practice impromptu speaking.
Speakers / Evaluators
Speakers deliver prepared speeches based on Communications and Leadership Manual or Advanced Manuals. Evaluators are assigned to evaluate the prepared speech, offer feedback on the strengths of the speech, and provide information that will assist the speaker to improve.
Ah Counter & Grammarian
The Ah Counter & Grammarian listens to the speakers and counts the unnecessary "ahs", "ums", "you knows" and other fillers. Also the proper use of grammar is monitored.
Timer
The Timer monitors and records the time taken by any speaker (prepared speech or table topic) and evaluators.
Laughmaster
The Laughmaster adds a light touch to the meeting by telling a joke and leading other members to also add some humour to the day.
Back to top
Communication & Leadership Program
The key to getting the most out of the Toastmasters' Communication and Leadership Program is active participation. People learn best by doing. Each of the ten project assignments, and the speeches that you will present, are part of a system designed to develop your skills one step at a time.
-
The Ice Breaker
Objectives: To begin speaking before an audience. To introduce yourself to your fellow club members. To help understand what areas require particular emphasis in your speaking development.
-
Organize Your Speech
Objectives: To organize your thoughts into a logical sequence that leads the audience to a clearly defined goal. To build a speech outline that includes an opening, body, and conclusion.
-
Get to the Point
Objectives: Select a speech topic and determine its general and specific purposes. Organise the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes and ensure the opening, body and conclusion reinforce those purposes. Project sincerity and conviction.
-
How to say it
Objectives: Select the right words and sentence structure to communicate your ideas clearly, accurately and vividly. Use rhetorical devices to emphasize ideas and to eliminat jargon, unecessary words and to use correct grammar.
-
Your Body Speaks
Objectives: Use stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions and eye contact to express your message and achieve your speech's purpose. Make your body language smooth and natural.
-
Vocal Variety
Objectives: To explore the use of voice volume, pitch, rate and quality as assets to your speaking. To apply the principles of a well-developed voice to a particular speech.
-
Research Your Topic
Objectives: Collect information aout your topic from numerous sources. Carefully support your points and opinions with specific facts, examples and illustrations gathered through research.
-
Get Comfortable with Visual Aids
Objectives: Select visual aids that are appropriate for your message and the audience. Use visual aids correctly with ease and confidence.
-
Persuade with Power
Objectives: To present a talk that persuades the audience to accept your proposal or point of view. To achieve this persuasive effect by appealing to the audiences self-interest, building a logical foundation for agreement, and arousing emotional commitment to your cause.
-
Inspire Your Audience
Objectives: To understand the mood and feelings of your audience an a particular occasion. To put those feelings into words and inspire the audience, using all of the techniques you have learned so far.
After you have completed all 10 project speeches, you will receive your Competent Communicators (CC) Award - a major milestone in your communications development.
Back to top
Advanced Communication & Leadership Program
The Advanced C&L Program has been designed to train you for speaking situations you will encounter outside the Club environment. Each advanced manual focuses on a specific speaking arena/forum or functional type of speaking. The Advanced C&L manuals are used to satisfy the requirements of the Advanced Communicator (AC BRONZE, SILVER and GOLD) Awards.
The Entertaining Speaker
How to give an entertaining or dramatic speech, where to find material, how to make an audience laugh, and what to do when your asked to speak after dinner.
Speaking to Inform
How to give a demonstration talk, the fact-finding report, the abstract concept, and resources for informing.
Public Relations
Building goodwill through public speaking, persuading an audience, speaking to a hostile audience, and speaking to the media.
The Discussion Leader
Provides instruction in the four different methods of leading a group discussion. An ideal manual for managers, trainers, and administrators.
Specialty Speeches
Covers impromptu speeches, sales presentations, introductions, inspirational speeches, and oral interpretations.
Speeches by Management
How to handle a variety of speaking situations managers encounter in the work environment. Topics include: briefings, technical speeches, motivational speeches, and status reports.
The Professional Speaker
Covers the keynote address, the entertaining speech, sales training speech, the seminar and the motivational speeches.
Technical Presentations
Covers the technical briefing, the proposal, speaking to the non-technical audience, presenting a technical paper, and giving a "team" technical presentation.
The Professional Salesperson
How to develop sales presentations, conduct sales meetings, and train other sales people.
Communicating on Television
How to present editorials, guest/interview programs, press conference, and training via television.
Storytelling
How to tell a folk tale, personal story, stories with morals, touching stories, and the historical story.
Interpretive Reading
Instruction in interpretive reading skills: presentation of stories, poetry, monodrama, plays and oratorical speeches.
Interpersonal Communications
Build strong interpersonal communication skills including: conversing with ease, handling criticism, negotiating, coaching to improve performance, and expressing dissatisfaction effectively.
Special Occasion Speeches
Provides instruction in giving toasts, speaking in praise, "roasting" someone, and presenting or accepting awards.
Back to top
