Toastmaster
Taking on this role improves organization, time management and public speaking skills.
The Toastmaster is the meeting's director and host. A member typically will not be assigned this role until they are thoroughly familiar with the club and its procedures. As Toastmaster, you:
- Acquire a meeting agenda from your vice president education.
- Ensure all club participants know their roles and responsibilities.
- Introduce speakers during the club meeting, including their speech topic, project title, objectives, delivery time, etc. during your introduction.
- Ensure smooth transitions between speakers during the club meeting.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/toastmaster
Timer
Taking on this role improves time management skills.
One of the skills Toastmasters practice is expressing a thought within a specific time. The timer is responsible for monitoring time for each meeting segment and each speaker. As Timer, you:
- Acquire the timing/signaling equipment from the sergeant at arms and know how to operate it.
- Explain the timing rules and demonstrate the signal device if called upon to do so.
- Throughout the meeting, listen carefully to each participant and signal them accordingly.
- When called to report, announce the speakers' names and the time taken.
- After the meeting, return the timing/signaling equipment and this log to the sergeant at arms.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/timer
Ah Counter
Taking on this role improves observational and listening skills
The purpose of the Ah-Counter is to note any overused words or filler sounds 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. As Ah-Counter you:
- Request a copy of the Ah-Counter’s log from your sergeant at arms. If a log is not available, be prepared to take notes.
- When introduced during the club meeting, explain the role of the Ah-Counter.
- In the Ah-Counter’s log, record overlong pauses, overused words and filler sounds relied upon too often by all speakers. Examples include: and, but, so, you know, ah, um.
- During the evaluation portion of the meeting, report your observations when called upon.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/ah-counter
Grammarian
Taking on this role improves vocabulary, grammar, critical listening skills and evaluation skills
The grammarian plays an important role in helping all club members improve their grammar and vocabulary. As grammarian you:
- Introduce new words to meeting participants and monitor language and grammar usage
- Write down the language and grammar usage of all speakers, noting incomplete sentences, mispronunciations, grammatical mistakes, non-sequiturs, malapropisms, etc. Example: "One in five children wear glasses" should be "one in five children wears glasses."
- At the end of the meeting, give your complete report when called on.
Introduce a "Word of the Week" that helps meeting participants increase their vocabulary; display the word, part of speech, and a brief definition with a visual aid and prepare a sentence showcasing how the word should be used. Note who uses this word or any derivatives thereof correctly or incorrectly during the meeting.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/grammarian
Speaker
Taking on this role improves critical thinking, confidence and public speaking skills
Every speaker is a role model, and club members learn from one another's speeches. As a meeting speaker, you:
- Prepare, rehearse and present a speech during the club meeting.
- Arrive early to make sure the microphone, lectern and lighting are working and in place.
- Discuss your goals, strengths and weaknesses with your evaluator prior to giving your speech.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/meeting-speaker
Speaker Evaluator
Taking on this role improves active listening, critical thinking and positive feedback skills.
Evaluation is the heart of the Toastmasters educational program. You observe the speeches and leadership roles of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for you. As evaluator you:
- Ask those you've been assigned to evaluate what they will present and what they wish to achieve.
- Provide objective verbal and written evaluations for speakers.
- When giving any evaluation, offer praise as well as constructive criticism.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/evaluator
Table Topics Master
Table Topics is the section of a Toastmasters meeting where we all get to practice the art of impromptu speaking. The Topics Master is responsible for running the Table Topics session, the purpose of which is twofold: It enables us to develop the skills of impromptu speaking.
A good table topics master will endeavor to get as many members, without roles, to speak!
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/topicsmaster
Table Topics Speaker
Taking on this role improves confidence and impromptu speaking skills.
Table Topics® is a long-standing Toastmasters tradition intended to help members develop their ability to organize their thoughts quickly and respond to an impromptu question or topic.
- Table Topics typically begins after the prepared speech presentations.
- The Toastmaster will introduce the Topicsmaster, who will give a brief description of Table Topics and then call on respondents at random.
- Your response should express your thoughts clearly and succinctly, lasting one to two minutes.
https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/club-meeting-roles/table-topics-speaker
Table Topics Evaluator
Taking on this role improves active listening, critical thinking and positive feedback skills.
Evaluation is the heart of the Toastmasters educational program. You observe the speeches and leadership roles of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for you. As evaluator you:
- Ask those you've been assigned to evaluate what they will present and what they wish to achieve.
- Provide objective verbal and written evaluations for speakers.
- When giving any evaluation, offer praise as well as constructive criticism.