TDLR Toastmasters Meeting Roles Checklist by Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation

MEETING ROLES CHECKLIST 1

Table of Contents Letter from the President............................................................................. 3 Sample Agenda........................................................................................... 4 Invocation & Pledge..................................................................................... 5 Toastmaster of the Day................................................................................ 7 General Evaluator...................................................................................... 10 Speech Evaluator...................................................................................... 14 Grammarian / Word of the Day.................................................................. 19 Ah Counter................................................................................................ 22 Timer......................................................................................................... 24 Table Topics Master................................................................................... 27

Greetings Toastmasters Member, I am excited that you are taking on a Role at our next Toastmasters meeting!! Part of the Toastmasters learning experience is taking advantage of every opportunity to practice in front of a large group. Only with continuous practice and honest effort will you see the wonderful benefits of Toastmasters!! Each meeting role is designed to improve the member’s public speaking, active listening, and leadership skills. Regardless of your role, your participation is fundamental to our meeting’s success and making our club experience enjoyable for everyone. In order to be successful in your role, you must clearly understand its duties and know how to prepare for it. The following sections in this manual will provide detailed instructions on what you need to do before, during, and after the meeting. Our Toastmasters TEAMS site also contains samples Introduction scripts, tracking spreadsheets, and additional resources to help you in your respective role. Being prepared will help reduce all of your nerves and ensure that you give your best performance. As always, all the Officers and myself are available to assist you in preparing for your respective role. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time for assistance. Good luck and have fun while learning to become a better, more confident speaker! Yours in service, Phong Doan

SAMPLE TOASTMASTERS MEETING AGENDA

TDLR Toastmasters Club #05244581 Tis t he Time for TALES OF TERROR!! MEETING via TEAMS

October 12, 2021 TDLR Toastmasters Officers President Phong Doan VP Education Lydia Valenzuela VP Membership Dalinda Jew VP Public Relations Doug VanPelt Secretary Larina Dennis Treasurer Natalie Smith Sergeant-At-Arms Nancy Banuelos-Gamble

Toastmasters International www.toastmasters.org CLUB MISSION:

Provide a support ive and posit ive learning experience in w hich members are empow ered t o develop communicat ion and leadership sk ills, result ing in great er self-confidence and personal grow t h.

10:00 Presiding Officer Calls Meeting to Order Introduction Invocation and Pledge

Phong Doan Doug VanPelt

10:05 Officer Introduces the Toastmaster of the Day Toastmaster of the Day Mary Winston 10:06 Toastmaster Introduces General Evaluator Grammarian/Word of the Day Ah Counter Timer Speech Evaluators

Tamala Fletcher Jackie Revilla Marg Sue Owen Ulises Ossio Teresa Alvarez, Steve Bruno

10:10 Toastmaster Introduces Speakers Speaker (5-7 min): “Introducing, my friend, Glossophobia” Kate Nauert Speaker (5-7 min): “I’m Here Aren’t I? ” Juliane Crocker Call for Timer’s Report Ulises Ossio 10:25 Toastmaster Introduces Table Topics Master Conduct Table Topics Session Call for Timer’s Report for TT Speakers

Meg Peel Ulises Ossio

10:37 Toastmaster Introduces General Evaluator

Tamala Fletcher

10:38 General Evaluator calls for Speech Evaluation Speaker Evaluations (2-3 Minutes)

Teresa Alvarez, Steve Bruno

10:43 General Evaluator Calls for Reports Timer’s Report for Speech Evaluator Ah-Counter Grammarian/Word of the Day

Ulises Ossio Marg Sue Owen Jackie Revilla

10:48 Leadership Moment

Brian Francis

10:53 Toastmaster shares closing remarks 10:55 Announcement & Reminders Presiding Officer - Pathways Training for Members (Nov. 16th and 18th) - Sign_Up for Roles - Next Meeting is Nov. 9th 11:00 Meeting Adjourns

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF THE INVOCATION & PLEDGE Delivering the Invocation The invocation is a prayer or inspirational thought delivered at the beginning of the meeting. It is followed by the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Because Toastmasters is a worldwide organization that includes people from many different religious groups, a non-sectarian approach is required, and the speaker should be sensitive to the diversity of cultures and religions in the audience. If you are new to Toastmasters and you are nervous about the thought of speaking in front of people, you can use this role to build confidence while serving a small but essential function for the club. Before the Meeting Prepare a brief invocation, no more than one minute in length. In your invocation, do not refer to a particular religious philosophy; make your reference universal. Treat it as you would any other speech. Craft it carefully, memorize it and practice delivering it before the meeting. During a virtual meeting, if you have a picture or slide to share with everyone, it will definitely enhance the impact of the Invocation speech. Prepare a picture of the US Flag to show during the Pledge of Allegiance. A copy of the US flag should be available in our Toastmasters Team Site (US_Flag). Download the file and be prepared to show it at the beginning of the Pledge of Allegiance. However, the Presiding Officer may already include the flag in his/her slide deck. So, you can contact the Presiding Officer to check and ask him/her to include that US Flag slide and bring it up for you during the meeting. Doing so will reduce time in having to share and un-share the file during the TEAMS meeting. During the Meeting When called upon by the Toastmaster Presiding Officer, deliver your invocation to the group. After the invocation, ask everyone to stand up (if the meeting is being held in person), face the flag and join you in the pledge. You can share a picture of the US Flag in TEAMS (or ask the Presiding Officer to share the US Flag slide if he/she has it in his/her slide deck). Begin the pledge and let everyone join you. After the Pledge, transfer meeting control back to the Presiding Officer.

TIPS FOR THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE Invocations and Pledges Invocations and pledges are popular ways to open club meetings with an inspirational message. They are usually one or two minutes in length, are delivered by a designated club member, and are entirely optional. If your club chooses to open a meeting with an invocation or pledge, always take care to respect the diversity of club members and visitors. The decision to open a club meeting with an invocation or pledge is made by majority vote at a club’s business meeting when a majority of active members is present. Club leaders are responsible for arranging and abiding by this vote. Controversial Speech Topics Members often hear “through the grapevine” that speeches concerning politics, religion and sex are forbidden by Toastmasters International because “such controversial subjects are not appropriate.” This is not true. Toastmasters International does not prohibit any speech topic, content or language. Toastmasters International recognizes that club members may learn much about the world around them from listening to others’ speeches on a variety of subjects. This variety can add interest to club meetings and stimulate thoughts and ideas. For these reasons, Toastmasters International does not place restrictions on topics, content or language in any speech. Toastmasters International also recognizes that a club comprises a diverse group of people and recommends that members be mindful of this diversity, using good taste and sensitivity when selecting speech topics, content and language. While Toastmasters International has no organizational restrictions along these lines, each individual club does have the right to limit speech subjects, content and/or language, with the consensus of its members. Club leaders should guide their members on how to observe good taste and sensitivity in the context of that particular club. Club websites are useful vehicles clubs can use to advise members and guests of any policies that have been decided. Presenting information on a club website helps maintain consistency as leadership changes. Additionally, it allows transparency and clarity for club members so they can periodically review the established practices of their club.

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF TOASTMASTER OF THE DAY The main duty of the Toastmaster is to act as the host and make introductions Participants should be introduced in a way that encourages the audience to listen to them. The Toastmaster creates an atmosphere of interest, expectation, and receptivity. Usually this task will not be assigned to you until you are familiar with the Club and its procedures.

Before the Meeting

̇ Check with the Vice President Education to find out if a special theme has been set for the meeting and if there are any program changes.

̇ Call the Table Topics Master to discuss his or her duties. Provide the Table Topics Master with a list of program participants to ensure these people will not be called on for responses. ̇ Call all Speakers in advance to remind them that they are speaking. Ask for their speech title, manual project number, purpose to be achieved, time requested and something interesting which you can use when introducing them (job, family, hobbies, education, why this topic for this audience etc.). ̇ Call the General Evaluator to confirm the assignment. ̇ Prepare introductions for each Speaker. A proper introduction can add to the success of the Speaker’s presentation. ̇ Prepare remarks which can be used to bridge the gaps between program segments. You may never use them, but you should be prepared to avoid possibly awkward periods of silence. ̇ Remember that performing as Toastmaster is one of the most valuable experiences in your Club work. The assignment requires careful preparation in order to have a smoothly-run meeting.

At the Meeting

̇ Arrive early in order to finish any last-minute details.

̇ Check with the speakers for any last-minute changes.

During the Meeting

̇ Preside with sincerity, energy and decisiveness. Take your audience on a pleasant journey and make them feel that all is going well.

̇ Study the Agenda carefully so that you do not miss any Timekeepers Reports or invitations to vote. ̇ Always lead the applause before and after each presenter. ̇ After your introduction of another presenter, remain standing near the lectern until you have shaken hands – signifying your hand over of control of the meeting – then be seated. ̇ When another presenter has finished, shake hands again to signify that control of the meeting is returning to you.

TOASTMASTER OF THE DAY ROLES (continued) Introducing Speakers

Try these quick tips for delivering thoughtful speaker introductions: • Don’t steal the show by making the introduction too long (60 seconds or less is sufficient), or by speaking on a topic that is in no way related to the speaker. • Grab the audience’s attention with a great opening. This can be an inspiring quote, a humorous anecdote, or an impressive milestone the speaker has achieved. • Briefly mention the topic the speaker is addressing, but don’t reveal too much about his or her speech. • Establish the speaker’s authority and expertise. This information will help solidify with the audience the speaker’s credibility as a subject matter expert.

TOASTMASTER OF THE DAY SCRIPT When introduced by the President, please state the following: “Mr./Madam President, fellow Toastmasters, and guests. Thank you for that wonderful introduction. “As Toastmaster of the Day, it is my responsibility to introduce today’s speakers. After the speeches have concluded, I will ask for the Timer’s report, introduce the General Evaluator, ask the Ah-Counter for their report, and ask the Grammarian for their report. I will then return control of the meeting to the President before we conclude today. “Thank you, Mr./Madam President.”

TOASTMASTER OF THE DAY ROLE & CHECKLIST Before the Meeting YES

Were all speakers contacted and all speech titles obtained?

YES

Were members assigned meeting roles and made aware of their responsibilities?

When Introduced YES

Did you acknowledge the President’s introduction and recognize your audience?

YES

Were the Timer, Grammarian, and Ah-Counter introduced?

YES

Were all speakers properly introduced?

During the Meeting YES

Did you ensure the Timer understood their duties?

YES

Did you ensure the Grammarian understood their duties?

YES

Did you ensure the Vote Counter understood their duties?

YES

Did you ensure the Ah-Counter understood their duties?

YES

Has the General Evaluator assigned Evaluators and obtained the names of all assigned meeting participants?

YES

Have you acquired a Speaker Introduction Form from all prepared speakers?

After Speeches YES

Was the Timer introduced and did they give their report?

YES

Was the General Evaluator introduced so they could conduct the evaluation session?

YES

Was the Ah-Counter introduced and did they give their report?

YES

Was the Grammarian introduced and did they give their report?

YES

Was the gavel and control of the meeting returned to the President?

For a downloadable PDF of this checklist to use during the meeting, go to: http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/E693A363A9344DBD93530BC9F9D7AA07.ashx

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF GENERAL EVALUATOR

General Evaluator Role and Responsibilities The General Evaluator is an evaluator of everything that takes place throughout the meeting. I. Meeting Preparation – Before the Meeting 1. Call evaluators to brief them on their roles, and tell them whom they’re evaluating.

Meeting Preparation – Before the Meeting 2. Prepare a brief explanation on your role as a general evaluator (see below).

• Get the agenda and names of your evaluation team from our President II. At the Meeting • Your team consists of the following: A. Before start of meeting ○ Speech1.Evaluators Verify the presence of the evaluators and helpers. Arrange with Toastmaster for last minute substitutes if required. ○ Ah Counter 2. Ensure the individual evaluators have the speaker’s manual. ○ Grammarian B. After start of meeting ○ Timer 1. When The Toastmaster calls you to describe your role, you may state the following: • Reach out to your evaluation team: My role is to evaluate the meeting in general. I will call for reports from the Speech ○ See if they have any questions about their role Evaluators, Timer, Grammarian, and Ah-Counter. Next, I will comment on the quality the evaluations given by evaluators of theare prepared speeches and Table ○ Share withofthem the link to where ourthe Role documents stored in SharePoint (see Topics. links on bottom of page 13) 2. Introduce each Evaluator and state which speaker they are evaluating: ○ Ask them to arrive to the meeting 10 minutes early Our first is: ________________________________________ ○ Let them know youevaluator will call upon them at the beginning of the meeting to explain their role. He will evaluating ourinfirst speaker: __________________________ Sample scripts forbeeach role are SharePoint. ○ You will call upon them at the end of the meeting to provide their reports. Our second evaluator is: ______________________________________ He will be evaluating our second speaker: _______________________ ○ Share with your team that evaluation is a positive, helping act. Their goal is to help fellow Toastmasters develop their skills. Evaluation is a positive experience designed to help people Our Third evaluator is: ______________________________________ overcome weak habits and add power to good ones. He will be evaluating our Third speaker: ________________________

1|P a g e

General Evaluator Worksheet 10

10/2010 V.1

During the Meeting • Make sure your evaluation team is in the meeting. Reach out to the Toastmaster or President if you need someone to fill in at the last minute. • Follow the agenda. You will see where the GE is called upon during the meeting. • Beginning of the Meeting: ○ The Toastmaster will ask you to present your team • You will provide an introduction of the GE role • Call up each member of your evaluation team and ask them to describe their role • Hand the meeting back to the Toastmaster • During the Meeting: ○ Take notes of what happens throughout the meeting. ○ Use the GE checklist and GE Report template as a guide (see links below) ○ Note: You do not need to evaluate the speakers since the Speech Evaluators are doing this • End of the Meeting: ○ The Toastmaster will call upon you and your team to provide your reports. ○ Follow the agenda and call up each member of your evaluation team to provide their report ○ Provide your final report – your General Evaluation of the meeting • You have 3 minutes for your report • Use the notes you took during the meeting • Focus on 2 – 3 high points from the meeting • Provide 1 – 2 suggestions for improvement • End your report on a positive note

Links (on TDLR’s SharePoint): • GE Checklist • GE Report Template • GE Script • Link to TDLR Toastmaster Roles and scripts in SharePoint • Understanding the General Evaluator Role • Additional information from Toastmasters International: General Evaluator

GENERAL EVALUATOR SCRIPT When introduced by the Toastmaster of the Day, please state the following: “Good morning fellow Toastmasters, and welcome guests. “Taking on this role improves critical thinking, organizational skills, and time management skills, motivational and team-building skills. “My responsibility as the General Evaluator is to evaluate everything that takes place during our club meeting. In addition, I will conduct the evaluation portion of the meeting and am responsible for the evaluation team: • Speech Evaluator • Ah Counter • Word of the Day/Grammarian • Timer “Let’s begin.”

[Use the reporting form to make your observations and report]

GENERAL EVALUATOR ROLE & CHECKLIST Start

Table Topics Master (cont’d)

YES

Did the meeting start on time?

YES

Were guests invited to participate?

YES

Call to order, invocation, pledge, opening handled smoothly?

YES

Did the Table Topics segment end on time?

YES

Were the guests introduced and welcomed? Table Topics Participants

Toastmaster Did the introductions include... YES

• a brief biographical sketch?

YES

• the objectives of the speech?

YES

• the speech title?

YES

Were the transitions between speeches smooth?

YES

Did the segues between speeches show that the Toastmaster was listening?

YES

Did the Toastmaster set the tone with great energy?

YES

Did the meeting run smoothly?

YES

Was concise agenda followed?

YES

Will the meeting end on time?

Were the topics appropriate?

YES

Were the topics introduced in 1 minute or less?

YES

Were any special techniques (e.g., props, gestures) employed?

YES

Were members called on in the appropriate order (those with no role, then smaller roles, then larger roles)?

How has each speaker improved?

YES

Were any special techniques (rephrase, artful dodge) used?

YES

What, in terms of the mechanics of impromptu speaking, can be improved?

Timer & Evaluators YES

Were the timing limits observed?

YES

Did the evaluator Acknowledge the positive, suggest something to do Better or differently and Congratulate and Conclude (ABC)? Was the tone positive, and appropriate for the experience level of the speaker?

YES

Did everyone seem to enjoy the meeting?

YES

What was the tone?

Overall

Table Topics Master YES

YES

Please acknowledge and thank any members that took last minute roles.

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF SPEECH EVALUATOR In a nutshell, the Speech Evaluator observes the speeches and offers evaluations of their efforts. As the Speech Evaluator, it is your responsibility to ask the Speaker you’ve been assigned to evaluate, what they will present and what they wish to achieve. Then provide objective verbal and written evaluations for them. One week prior to the Meeting • Familiarize yourself with the role of Speech Evaluator; it might be a good idea to revisit the Pathways Evaluation and Feedback project to review strategies for providing feedback • Connect with the Toastmaster to get the name of the Speaker you will be evaluating • Contact the Speaker and ask for the following information: • The Speaker’s Project Checklist: You will have difficulty evaluating if you are not familiar with the project and objectives • Talk to the Speaker: Understand their goals so you can provide a better evaluation • Request the Speaker to download the Evaluation form (from Pathways) for their respective speech and share the form with you.

Before the Meeting • Arrive at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts • Let the Toastmaster know that you’re here • Meet briefly with the General Evaluator to confirm the Evaluation section format • Make sure you sit in a spot where you can see and hear the Speaker properly • Retrieve the Evaluation Form from the Speaker (It’s their responsibility to print it and give it to you to fill out; or send you the PDF electronically) • Talk to the Speaker for any last-minute updates

During the Meeting Important: When you’re introduced by the Toastmaster, you ONLY read the Purpose Statements in the Evaluation Form. Your responsibility is to tell other members what the purpose of the speech is, not what it is about or who the Speaker is. See the Purpose Statement (on the Speech Evaluation Form) at right.

Remember that IT IS NOT your role to introduce the Speaker! Continued on page 16

During the Meeting continued

1. Read only the Purpose Statements on the Evaluation Form when introduced by the Toastmaster 2. Take notes when necessary, but be careful not to put all of your focus on note-taking 3. Record your impressions on the Evaluation Form 4. Remember to give scores objectively, don’t be shy on giving a speaker a low score if you consider that to be the case; people learn more from their mistakes than from their successes 5. To evaluate, use the following criteria as a guideline. A Speaker with a score of: • 1 – is starting to develop the skill • 2 – has some skill, but it’s emerging • 3 – has accomplished the skill successfully, meaning that the speaker has met the expectation • 4 – excels at that skill • 5 – is an example of how public speaking should be done 6. Deliver your evaluation by stating the observed behaviors in an honest and respectful way Important: Most evaluations, especially during the first speeches, will range between 1 and 2, sometimes 3. Rarely a speaker will get 4, and only the best public speakers will achieve a 5. The scale reflects an understanding that there is always room to grow as a public speaker After the Meeting • Talk to your Speaker and give them the written evaluation • Ask if they need clarification or explanation regarding anything you said • If you have time, ask the Speaker to stay a few minutes after the meeting for a more detailed evaluation

Speech Evaluator Do’s and Don’ts DO

DON’T Don’t arrive unprepared; the Speaker invested weeks of preparation. They deserve a proper evaluation. Don’t take notes during the whole speech as you will miss important information as well as not being able to see their body language Don’t concentrate on the person (e.g. “You were nervous.”) Don’t leave the meeting without talking to your Speaker Don’t provide extensive criticism as it might discourage the Speaker to try again

Connect with the Speaker beforehand to understand the project and evaluation Take notes when necessary and focus on listening and watching the Speaker Concentrate on the behavior (e.g. “I noticed you were pacing a lot.”) Offer a one-on-one feedback session after the meeting Limit feedback to two or three points, small attainable goals

Evaluation Form Instructions

After the Speaker gives you the Evaluation Form (shown above), fill it out with these instructions in mind: 1. Write down all the good items you notice as you are evaluating the Speaker. 2. Place a star beside the 4 best items you’d like to mention in your evaluation. 3. Place the very best attribute of the speaker in the number 1 slot (“You excelled at”) under the General Comments section of the evaluation form. 4. List the remaining good items in the number 3 area (“To challenge yourself”). 5. List your best 2 suggestions and place them in the number 2 area (“You may want to work on”). 6. Summarize the points you wrote down in those 3 areas. 7. NEVER close with a suggestion. By presenting your evaluation in this order, you provide a meaningful and uplifting evaluation of the speaker’s 3 good qualities, 2 suggestions for improvement, the single most outstanding and best quality, then summarize. Toastmasters sometimes refers to this as the “3-2-1-S” (for summarize) evaluation.

Evaluation Form Instructions 1. After you state your great points in the evaluation, avoid following up with, “HOWEVER” or “BUT” to proceed to your suggestions. When an evaluator does this, they negate all the great points they just made and place more emphasis on the suggestions. This can be a huge letdown for the speaker in many cases and your evaluation is less effective. Remember our primary purpose is to Evaluate to Motivate. 2. Practice using this model so you are able to get your timing down and how long you should elaborate on your points. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to present the evaluation right at 3 minutes.

HELPFUL LINKS In preparing as the evaluator our ‘Competent Communication’ book suggested 3 articles to read on their website. The first document ‘Effective Evaluation’ was their recommendation for evaluating a team member’s first project, ‘The Ice Breaker.’

Effective Evaluation http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/8EA3AA260B5D4C4494657F4E5451E66C.ashx

Your Speaking Voice http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/B7D5C3F93FC3439589BCBF5DBF521132.ashx

Gestures: Your body speaks http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/E202D7AA84E24A758D1BAAE8A77FD496.ashx

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF GRAMMARIAN / WORD OF THE DAY

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. • Optional: 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.

GRAMMARIAN / WORD OF THE DAY SCRIPT When introduced by the General Evaluator, please state the following: “Mister/Madam Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, and Guests, I have a dual role today.

I have the responsibility to introduce a ‘Word’ to the club, which I will challenge everyone to use correctly in a sentence when you have the opportunity to speak. For the Word of the Day, my job is to keep track of who uses the word of the day. Today’s word of the day is: (GIVE PART OF SPEECH, DEFINITION AND USE THE WORD OF THE DAY IN A SENTENCE) • This word is a: • The definition is: • Sentence:

“As the Grammarian, my job is to: • Listen for and record interesting words and phrases • Misuse of the English language. • Awkward use or incorrect grammar • Incomplete sentences or sentences that change direction midstream • And I will look for Creative Language usage At the end of the meeting I will give a Word of the Day/Grammarian Report Thank you, (insert name of General Evaluator).”

GRAMMARIAN / WORD OF THE DAY HELPFUL LINKS

Grammarian Worksheet Also includes a field for Word of the Day Reports: Grammarian worksheet. Download to track word usage during the meeting. This worksheet also includes a field to write down the Word of the Day usage.

Here are some links to help in choosing the Word of the Day, http://www.rinkworks.com/words/funwords.shtml https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2021/mar/toolbox-word-of-the-day https://www.toastmasters.org/Magazine/Articles/Whats-the-Word

The Toastmaster President also has word cards that can be checked out. Word of the day can also align with the Theme of the Meeting.

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF AH COUNTER

The main duty of the Ah Counter is to note words and sounds used as a ‘crutch’ or pause filler by anyone who speaks during the meeting. Words may be in appropriate interjections such as “and’, ‘but’, ‘so’, ‘well’, or ‘you know.’ Sounds may be ‘ah’, ‘er’, or ‘um.’ You should also note when a speaker repeats a word or phrase, such as ‘I’, ’I’ or ‘this means,’ ‘this means,’ as well as restarts (when someone stops a sentence before completion and then restarts with a new thought). Before the Meeting • Prepare a brief explanation of the duties of the Ah Counter for the benefit of guests. Upon arrival at the Meeting • Work with the Ah Counter’s Log you’ve printed previously or you may also obtain a copy from the Sergeant-at-Arms when you arrive. During the Meeting • When introduced by the General Evaluator, explain the role of the Ah Counter. • Throughout the meeting, listen to everyone and keep track of all inappropriate filler sounds or words used by anyone who speaks during the meeting, including repeats and restarts. Be sure to write down the name of each person who speaks so you can give an accurate report of nonoffenders. • Tally the counts for each speaker and the group as a whole. • Give a report when called upon by the General Evaluator, including the total count for the meeting and who did particularly well (you may also wish to mention any fillers that were used particularly heavily). After the Meeting • Give your completed report to the club Secretary.

AH COUNTER SCRIPT When introduced by the General Evaluator, please state the following: “Greetings Mr./Madam Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters, and guests. The purpose of the Ah-Counter is to note words and sounds that are used as a “crutch” or “pause filler” by anyone who speaks. During the meeting, I will listen for overused words, including and, well, but, so, and you know. I will also listen for filler sounds, including ah, um, and er. I will also note when a speaker repeats a word or phrase, such as “I, I” or “This means, this means.” At the end of the meeting, I will report the number of times that each speaker used these expressions. Thank you, (insert name of General Evaluator).”

Helpful Link: The Ah Counter Script and Log is available here on Sharepoint. Download this log, for it is very helpful in tracking the usage of filler words, interjections, and repeated words/phrases (“Repeats”).

PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF TIMER

120

As the timer, you play a key role in keeping the club meeting and members’ speeches on track. Prior to the Meeting: 120 90 • Find a timer app – see notes below for suggestions • Be familiar with changing background in Teams (for virtual meetings) • Review the Meeting Agenda: ○ Get the meeting agenda from the President or any of the officers ○ Review the agenda and get the length of each prepared speech and see when you will be called to provide your report • Review the Timer Script and Log: 120 ○ Be prepared to explain the role of timer when the General Evaluator calls on you to provide the introduction. See sample ‘Timer Script’ on page 23. ○ If you are using a bell along with the colors, then include this in your explanation: ○ 1 ring for green, 2 rings for yellow and 3 rings for red ○ Fill in what you can on the log ahead of time – speakers names, length of speeches…See a sample of the ‘Timer Log’ in the links below. During the Meeting: • Join the meeting 15min early and check in: ○ Have your notes ready for your introduction ○ Have a copy of the agenda available ○ Get your timer app ready and set it to time the first speaker so you are ready to go ○ See ‘Timer app options’ on page 22 ○ If the meeting is in the office then get the color cards from the Sergeant at Arms and sit where the speakers can see you • Timing for a Teams Meeting: ○ Turn on your camera with your current background ○ Turn off your microphone ○ Once they start talking - Start the timer on the app ○ Once the timer app shows green, change your background to that color – or hold up the color on paper ○ Turn on your microphone and ring the bell ○ You can use a bell or a glass and spoon works well too ○ (continued on page 22)

○ Turn off your microphone ○ Same for yellow and red ○ Once the speaker is finished ○ Pause the timer app and write down the time ○ Put your screen back to your original screen saver • When asked to provide a report ○ Turn on the microphone ○ Provide your report ○ Turn off your microphone and camera until your next report Helpful Hints: • Timer app options: These apps help track the time and let you know when to change the colors from green to yellow to red. ○ For your computer: https://www.toastmastertimer.com/ ○ Phone App: ○ Download this from the App store. ○ To use the app you can select ‘Use as Guest’. You do not have to login. ○ Here is a picture of the app and more information. https://www.toastmasters.org/Membership/Club-Meeting-Roles/Mobile-App

• Make sure everyone can hear the bell: ○ Test with someone to make sure it works ○ Get into your Teams meeting ○ Click on the three dots at the top (more actions) ○ Go to “Device Settings” ○ Go to “Noise suppression” ○ Set it to Low ○ Make sure it is still set to Low when you join the Toastmasters meeting Links: • Background Colors • Timer Script • Timer Log • Link to TDLR Roles in SharePoint • Additional information from Toastmasters International: Toastmasters International -Timer

TIMER SCRIPT When introduced by the General Evaluator, please state the following: “Greetings Mr./Madam Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters, and guests. As Timer, I will time the Table Topics® speakers, formal speeches, and the evaluations. I will also alert each speaker of the time they have left, using the green, yellow, and red cards, which denote specific times remaining. Table Topics Speakers should limit their remarks to no more than 2 minutes. • At 1 minute, I will raise the green card. • At 1 minute and 30 seconds, I will raise the yellow card. • At 2 minutes, I will raise the red card. Those giving speeches should limit their remarks to their specific speech times, Ice Breaker speeches should be 4-6 minutes in length. • At 4 minutes, I will raise the green card. • At 5 minutes, I will raise the yellow card. • At 6 minutes, I will raise the red card. Most other speeches should be 5-7 minutes in length. • At 5 minutes, I will raise the green card. • At 6 minutes, I will raise the yellow card. • At 7 minutes, I will raise the red card. The individual evaluations should be between 2-3 minutes. • At 2 minutes, I will raise the green card. • At 2 minutes and 30 seconds, I will raise the yellow card. • At 3 minutes, I will raise the red card. Thank you, (insert name of General Evaluator).”

THE ROLE OF THE TABLE TOPICS MASTER

The objective of Table Topics is to have as many people as possible speaking impromptu. This will depend on the amount of time allowed in the meeting.

• DO NOT give a speech when you are the Table Topics Master • LIMIT your introduction to 1 minute • DO NOT give your own answer to every question you ask after the participant finishes • MAKE SURE questions are one that anyone should be able to answer Check resources online. • Questions should be short and to the point • Ask the question • Call on a person impromptu • Repeat the question • Shake hands • Sit close to the lectern • When speaker is finished LEAD APPLAUSE: shake hands, Ask the next Question.

TABLE TOPICS MASTER SCRIPT Mister/Madam Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters and Guests. My name is ____________________________. I will be your Table Topics Master for today’s meeting. I will select subjects and questions that will allow speakers the opportunity to develop their impromptu opinions and to respond appropriately. The purpose is to think on your feet. As a table topics speaker, you may answer the question directly, talk about something related to it, or just something about which it reminds you. You will have 1-2 minutes to talk. You can stand still for a few seconds and think about your response. But as soon as you make a movement, or any sound, your time will begin. Try to talk till you see the green card/light. But wrap up when you see the red card/light. Please try to correctly incorporate the “Word of the Day” into your talk. Our first table topics speaker is ______________________.

Please welcome __________________.

TABLE TOPICS MASTER ROLE & CHECKLIST Table Topics are impromptu speeches. The purpose is to allow members to practice on their confidence and help think on their feet and speak on a given subject for 1-2 minutes.

Before the meeting ̇ Check with your club for the theme of the meeting and create your topics in line with that theme. ̇ Put together a list of topics/questions. ̇ Do not repeat the previous meeting’s Table Topics ideas or questions. ̇ Phrase the question in a way that it will clearly tell the speaker what you want them to talk about. ̇ Keep your comments short. ̇ Your job is to give others a chance to speak, not to give yourself a chance to give mini talks. ̇ Always clap after they provided their short 1 to 2-minute speech. ̇ Get a copy of the agenda to help you select members who are not carrying out a speaking role. ̇ You can also select guests to speak. Be mindful that they may not want to speak just yet.

During the meeting ̇ Briefly introduce the purpose of Table Topics. For example: • Table Topics allows you to practice your confidence when you are asked impromptu questions. (You can mention to the members/guests the theme for the series of questions will be ____. Which for example – the theme for the questions will be on “Cooking.” This gives everyone an opportunity to improve their better listening/thinking skills.) • You will have 1-2 minutes to answer. • Y ou can either begin talking right away or wait a little then begin talking. Be mindful of the timer (point where the timer sits) and how long you must talk. • If for some reason you do not understand the question or the question asked has never happened to you, think of how it happened to someone else. Talk about the topic, comment on it, or note its importance. (Feel free to assist/guide the speaker to begin talking. Sometimes people need a little push, be a mentor.) • Please help me welcome (call out name) and initiate clapping and members should follow. • Shake the speaker’s hand and ask the question. • Step aside and let the speaker be behind podium.

• Call out speakers at random and not in the order they are sitting. • A good way to get names is when members/guests sign in. Write down several names so you won’t have to look around in the audience to select who is next. This way no time is spent in deciding who to call out to come forward, and more time is spent in having a good number of speakers come up and talk. • Give each speaker a different topic. • W atch the time you have available. Check the printed agenda for the total time allotted for Table Topics. And if you started late, try to end on time to avoid the total meeting running over time.

When done ̇ End on a positive note and return floor to next speaker in agenda. Remember to shake hands, if in-person meeting.

Links to Table Topics Speaker Resources: Toastmasters International – Table Topics Speaker

How can I be a Toastmasters Table Topics Master? Successful Toastmasters Table Topic Masters do three things: 1. They research their audience. 2. They prepare. Tip: remember to add “Why” to questions, when needed. 3. They gather the BEST questions to lead to the BEST impromptu speeches. 4. They clap after each speech.

Remember the format…

• A question is provided and they have only 2 minutes to give their speech. • Timer is keeping track of time.

• This helps them improve their impromptu speaking skills and develop their speaking and critical thinking skills. • Remember to make sure if you come up with any of your own questions that they are not easy to answer with just a “yes” or a “no.”

For example: Where would you like to go for a summer vacation, and why?

Table topic questions can also be used at dinner parties, fun gatherings, and at other events to liven up the atmosphere and break the ice with a few quick words from the guests.

The Benefits of Impromptu Speaking Just the thought of speaking in front of a group with no preparation might seem horrifying but becoming skilled at it can have amazing benefits. • This takes practice, a systematic approach, and self-confidence.

Once you have impromptu speaking mastered, doors will open for you. • You will have the ability to nail last-minute presentations. • Shine during important meetings. • Think on your feet while speaking each day.

Although this guide is focused on leading Toastmasters Table Topic Sessions, keep in mind that there is a major benefit for those that participate.

Description: Get the Whole Crowd Smiling Here are a few fun table topic ideas: • How do you feel about putting mayonnaise on french fries? • What vacation was the best or worst you had, and why? • You have a flat tire, what do you do? • Should you eat pizza with your hands or with a fork and knife, and why? • What are a few fun ways to answer the boring question of “what do you do for work?” • What was your favorite thing to do as a child that you would love to still be able to do as an adult? • What would you do if you broke an expensive piece of art at a party you attended for the first time? • You volunteered to bake cookies for a fundraiser, you burned them right before you leave to the event.

Stores and bakeries are closed. What do you do?

Description: Interesting Table Topics Here are some interesting table topic ideas: • Who or what inspires you professional or personally? • If you could switch lives with anyone currently living for an entire day, who would it be? • Camping, hiking, or skiing, and why? • How did you meet your best friend, and are they your best friend to this day? • What motivates you to keep a positive attitude when you reached a roadblock? • What is something you’ve always wanted to try but have been afraid to? • If you only had 1 week left on Earth, what would you do?

Description: Table Topics for the Seasons Here are some Table Topic ideas for Summer: • If you could describe summer in 3 words, what would they be? • What is your favorite summer food and why? • What is your most memorable summer vacation, what stood out from the vacation? • What is your favorite way to cool off in the summertime? • What is your favorite family activity for summertime? • If you were invited to a cookout, what would you bring and why? • Which do you prefer, summer or winter and why?

Here are some Table Topics for Fall: • What is your favorite Fall festival and why? • Have you ever made apple cider or any other special drink from scratch? • If you could, would you like go experience Oktoberfest in Munich? • What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen and why? • Have you ever been camping, why or why not? • What is your favorite way to spend a lazy day? • Do you decorate your house for fall, why or why not?

Here are some Table Topics for Winter: • What is your favorite winter sport? • If you had the chance to go to the north pole, would you take it? • Skiing, snowboarding, or sledding? • Would you ever go ice-fishing, why or why not? • Did you ever have the chance to make a snowman? • What do you think about Santa Claus? • What is your favorite food to eat on a snowy date?

Here are some Table Topics for Spring: • What food would be at your picnic? • Jogging, cycling, or swimming? • Have you ever been horseback riding, why or why not and how was the experience? • Your just bought some expensive shoes and you’re on your way to an important meeting and you get

caught in the rain without an umbrella, what do you do?

• If you could build a garden with only 3 plants, which ones would you grow?

Description: Proven to Encourage Here are some fail-safe questions: • What are your 3 favorite personality traits? • If you could only take 2 items with you to a deserted island, what would they be? • Do you prefer dogs or cats and why? • Who are 2 people in your life that inspire you and why? • What are 3 things you look for in a good friend? • If you had a genie that could grant 3 wishes, what would they be (you can’t wish for more wishes)? • What are the first 3 things you do when you wake up in the morning? • What 3 tips would you give someone looking to make a career change?

TDLR TM Doc. Revised Mar. 2022

TDLR Toastmasters Meeting Roles Checklist

Articles inside

Invocation & Pledge

Speech Evaluator

Toastmaster of the Day

Grammarian / Word of the Day

Table Topics Master

Letter from the President

Ah Counter