easy-Speak

How Toastmasters works

At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet regularly for about two hours. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice:

  • Conducting meetings
    Meetings usually begin with a short business session, which helps members learn meeting procedures.
  • Giving impromptu speeches
    Members present one-to two-minute impromptu speeches on assigned topics, so called Table Topics.
  • Presenting prepared speeches
    Three or more members present speeches based on projects from the Toastmasters International Communication and Leadership Program manuals. Projects cover such topics as speech organization, voice, language, gestures and persuasion.
  • Offering constructive evaluation
    Every prepared speaker is assigned an evaluator who points out speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.

The tools you use

When joining a Toastmasters club, each new member receives a variety of manuals and resources on speaking. Members also have access to other books as well as audio and video cassettes on speaking and leading. They also receive the award-winning Toastmaster, a monthly magazine that offers the latest insights on speaking and leadership techniques.