There are 10 manual speeches to choose from. Generally they are done in sequence but it is not mandatory. You may also use work/professional presentations for your speeches.

Time: plan your speech to be between 5-7 minutes (this is the length for almost all of the Toastmaster basic manual speeches). If you wish to give a longer speech, arrange this with the meeting Toastmaster or, consult with one of the Toastmaster officers.

Preparation:

• Go over your talk with a coach/mentor (or fellow Toastmaster).
• Note cards or a speech script can be helpful. Use a large typeface if you think you'll be relying heavily on them.
• Practice as many times as you need in order to feel confident (by yourself and/or with an audience).

Bring your Toastmasters manual to give to your speech evaluator so he or she can provide their comments on your speech.

When introduced, go to the podium and greet the Toastmaster with a handshake. Acknowledge the Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters, and guests (if any).

Speech outline

• Strong beginning
• Organized body with definite, flowing transitions
• Strong ending (no thank you's)

Wait for the Toastmaster to come to the lectern for another handshake and then return to your seat.

Listen openly to the evaluator but don't be discouraged if your evaluator missed your point--evaluators are learning too.















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There are two basic responsibilities of the Grammarian: to introduce new words to members and to comment on the use of English during the course of the meeting.

Select a *Word of the Day* prior to meeting, potentially related to the theme of the meeting. The goal is to select a word that will increase our vocabulary; thus, we should choose words that go beyond the way we usually express ourselves, but also are easily incorporated into everyday speech (making adjectives and adverbs preferrable).

• On a separate handout sheet to be replicated and passed to all members or on the board at the meeting, write the word, a definition, and use it in a sentence.

• During the meeting introduce the word of the day, explaining it, using it in a sentence, and encouraging participants to use it when they speak that day.

• Note how many times the word is used throughout the meeting.

During the meeting:

• Listen carefully to how speakers use English in their presentations.
• Make note of *killer fillers*--ums, ers, uhs, double words, etc.
• Make note of other incorrect usages of the language such as incorrect grammar, run-on sentences, incomplete sentences, etc.

As with other roles, when introduced, the Grammarian should explain his/her role if new members or guests are present.

At the end of the meeting, the Grammarian should report both the number of incorrect usages (if possible, offering the correct usage) and the number of times the word of the day or its derivative was used.

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Wait for the Toastmaster to come to the lectern for another handshake and then return to your seat















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The Role of a Meeting Evaluator

The meeting evaluator is just what the name implies... an evaluator of anything and everything that takes place throughout the meeting. The responsibility is large, but so are the rewards. The evaluation should be brief, yet complete. Methods for conducting the evaluation sessions are limitless. Review the Effective Speech Evaluation manual for ideas.

Prior to the meeting --

• Check with the Toastmaster to find out how the program will be conducted and if there are any planned deviations from the usual meeting format. Remember, always be ready when the meeting starts.

• Prepare a brief but thorough talk on the purpose, techniques, and benefits of evaluation (for the benefit of the guests). Emphasize that as evaluators, you are not critics. Criticism is negative; evaluation is a positive experience designed to help people overcome weak habits and add power to good ones.

• Sit near the back of the room to allow yourself full view of the meeting and its participants.

• Check again to see if the Toastmaster has any special plans for the meeting. You might also ask if the Toastmaster would like you to watch for any specific things during the meeting.

During the meeting --

• Take notes on everything that happens (or doesn't but should). For example: is the club's property (trophies, banner, educational material, etc.) displayed properly? If not, why? Were there unnecessary distractions that could have been avoided? Create a checklist from which you can follow the meeting. Did the meeting, and each segment of it, begin and end on time?

• Cover each participant on the program--from the opening to the last report by the timer. Look for good and unacceptable examples of preparation, organization, delivery, enthusiasm, observation, and general performance of duties. Remember, you are not to reevaluate the speaker, though you may wish to add something that the speech evaluator may have missed.

• Wrap up by giving your general evaluation of the meeting, using the notes you took as suggested above. You may wish to comment on the quality of the speech evaluations. Were they positive, upbeat, helpful? Did they point the way to improvement?

• Have Fun! The evaluator and the people being evaluated should remember not to take themselves too seriously. Again, the purpose of evaulation is to help people improve!

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The Role of a Speech Evaluator

After every speech, an evaluation is made. After you have presented a few speeches, you will be asked to serve as an evaluator and will evaluate one of the prepared speakers for the meeting. In addition to your oral evaluation, you will also give the speaker a written evaluation from the manual. The evaluation presented by you can make the difference between a worthwhile or a wasted meeting for your speaker. The purpose of the evaluation is to help the speaker become less self-conscious. This requires that you become fully aware of the speaker's skill level, habits and mannerisms as well as his or her progress to date. If there is a technique the speaker uses or some gesture made that receives a good response from the audience, tell the speaker so he or she will be encouraged to use it again.

Prior to the meeting --

• Review carefully the Effective Speech Evaluation manual which you will receive in your new member packet from World Headquarters, or notify the President or Vice President of Education. They can see that you get a copy.

• Talk with the speaker to find out the manual project he or she will be presenting. The interview should include the goals of the speech and what the speaker hopes to achieve. Find out exactly which skills or techniques the speaker hopes to strengthen through the exercise.

• Evaluation requires exacting preparation if it is to be of value to the speaker. Study the objectives of the project as well as the evaluation guide in the manual.

Remember the purpose of evaluation is to help people develop their speaking skills in various situations, including platform presentations, discussions and meetings. Achievement equals the sum of ability and motivation. By actively listening and gently offering useful advice, you motivate members to work hard and improve. When you show the way to improvement, you've opened the door to strengthening their ability.

When you enter the meeting room --

• Look for the speaker and get his or her manual.

• Check again to see if he or she has any specific things for you to watch for during the talk.

During the meeting --

• Record your impression of the speech in the manual along with your answers to the evaluation questions. Be as objective as possible. Remember that good evaluations may give new life to discouraged members and poor evaluations may dishearten members who tried their best. Remember to always leave the speaker with specific methods for improving his or her speaking.

• When introduced, stand and give your oral evaluation report. Begin and end your evaluation with a note of encouragement or praise. Though you may have written lengthy responses to manual evaluation questions, don't read the questions or your responses. Your oral evaluation time is limited. Don't try to cover too much in your talk - possibly one point on organization.

• Praise a successful speech and specifically tell why it was successful. Don't allow the speaker to remain unaware of a valuable asset such as a smile, a sense of humor, a good voice. Don't allow the speaker to remain ignorant of a serious fault or mannerism; if it is personal, write it, but don't mention it aloud. Give the speaker the deserved praise and tactful suggestions in the manner you would like to receive them when you are the speaker.

After the meeting --

• Return the manual to the speaker. Add a verbal word of encouragement to the speaker, something that wasn't mentioned in the oral evaluation.

One important objective of Toastmasters is to learn to speak precisely, that is, expressing a thought within a specific time interval. The timer records and reports the times of the various segments of the meeting: speeches, table topics and evaluations.

Speeches have varying times:

• The first "Icebreaker" speech is 4-6 minutes.
• The second-ninth speeches are 5-7 minutes.
• The tenth speech, "Inspire Your Audience," is 8-10 minutes.

Table topics should be from 1-2 minutes.

Openers should be from 2-3 minutes.

Evaluations (both speech and meeting) should be from 2-3 minutes.

Confirm with the Toastmaster the evaluation times, as s/he may wish to alter them based on the particular meeting agenda. The timer should confirm with each manual speaker the time allotted for their prepared speech.

At the meeting, retrieve the stopwatch and the red, yellow and green construction paper. Make sure you understand how to operate the stopwatch. The construction paper signals should be used as follows:

• Green: If a prepared speech has a 4-6 minute time limit, display the green sheet at 4 minutes.

• Yellow: Display the yellow sheet midway between the shortest and longest limit; that is in the above example, at 5 minutes.

• Red: Display the red sheet when time has run out (in the above case, 6 minutes).

Try to make certain that the speaker has noted each sheet as you display it.

As with other roles, when introduced, the Timer should explain his/her role if new members or guests are present. At the end of the meeting, the timer will be asked to report the times s/he has recorded for the various segments of the meeting.















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