The success of a Toastmasters meeting depends on the program participants; with many roles to fill, each job is designed to improve members’ public speaking and leadership skills. Most links will lead to a specific page on the Toastmasters International website, providing a detailed description of each meeting role.
Even seasoned Career Builders Toastmasters members can brush up on their skills with these helpful guidelines.
Toastmaster
The Toastmaster is the emcee and acts as the meeting’s director and host. As the Toastmaster of the meeting, you are responsible for ensuring all of the meeting’s players know their parts and hit their marks. Generic Meeting Agenda Toastmaster's email template. Toastmaster's script/cheat sheets: Version 1 Version 2 - editable |
Topicsmaster
With Table Topics™, the Topicsmaster gives members who are not assigned a speaking role the opportunity to speak during the meeting. The Topicsmaster challenges each member with a question, and the speaker responds with a 1 to 2 minute impromptu talk. Table Topics Script Table Topics Questions |
Speaker
The speaking section of a Toastmasters meeting is the highlight of the evening. Beside the guidelines in the Toastmasters Pathway curriculum, you will find some additional useful information about the role as a Speaker who gives a prepared presentation. Schedule your speech with the VPE (Vice President of Education), prepare and rehearse your speech, discuss points of focus with your Speech Evaluator, and forward to them your evaluation form. Additionally, send to the Toastmaster of the meeting, your speech introduction. |
Speech Evaluator
People join Toastmasters to improve their speaking and leadership skills, and these skills are improved with the help of evaluations. At some point, everyone is asked to participate by providing an evaluation. The mission of the Speech Evaluator is evaluate to motivate! The sandwich approach is the model for Toastmasters evaluations. This is where you state the positives of the speech, suggest an area or two for improvement and finish with another positive comment. Generic Evaluation Form |
General Evaluator
If you think of a club meeting as a project, then you can see the General Evaluator as a kind of project manager. The General Evaluator supervises the Timer, Grammarian, Ah-Counter, and Speech Evaluators and assesses everything that takes place during the club meeting to ensure proper execution. General Evaluator's Script |
Ah-Counter
The purpose of the Ah-Counter is to note any word or sound used as a crutch by anyone who speaks during the meeting. Words may be inappropriate interjections, such as and, well, but, so and you know. Sounds may be ah, um or er. The role of the Ah-Counter is an excellent opportunity to practice your listening skills. Ah-Counter's Script & Form |
Grammarian
Toastmasters helps people improve their grammar and word use. Being Grammarian also provides an exercise in expanding listening skills. The responsibilities of the Grammarian include the introduction of the word of the week and feedback on language usage during the course of the meeting. Grammarian Form & Script |
Vote Counter
As a vote counter, you will collect and tally the votes for best speaker, table topics, and evaluator. You will also gather feedback from members and guests on the speakers. Vote Counter's Script. |
Timer
One of the skills all participants practice at Toastmasters is expressing a thought within a specific time. The Timer is responsible for monitoring time for each meeting segment and each speaker. Serving as Timer is an excellent opportunity to practice giving instructions and practicing time management. Time Sheet and Script |