MEETING ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Toastmaster | Greeter | Joke Master | General Evaluator | Grammarian | Timekeeper | Ah Counter
Vote Counter | Speaker | TopicMaster | Evaluator | Mentee | Mentor

TOASTMASTER

(Additional information in C & L manual pages 75 – 77)

Toastmaster is a leadership role to which members are assigned after completing three or more manual speeches and attending actively for at least six months. The toastmaster implements the program with a specific plan for assuring that a complete agenda will be prepared and presented and to offer assistance when needed. This position facilitates the meeting to ensure that all roles stay on track and time limits are enforced.

RESPONSIBILITY:

ADVANCED PREPARATION:

GREETER

RESPONSIBILITIES:

JOKE MASTER

RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Provide a joke or funny story of not more than one minute to get the meeting off to a positive and energetic start. ADVANCED PLANNING:
    • Rehearse your joke or story so you can deliver it, using gestures and vocal variety instead of reading it.

    GENERAL EVALUATOR

    (Additional information located in C & L manual pages 74 & 75)

    The General Evaluator leads the evaluation team, which consists of the Timekeeper, Grammarian, Ah Counter, Vote Counter, Videographer, scheduled Evaluators, and provides an overall evaluation of the meeting. Members are assigned to this role after completing three manual speeches and three oral evaluations.

    RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • Lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
    • Provide a "Thought For The Day".
    • Introduce your evaluation team and describe their duties.
    • After prepared speeches, call on evaluators to give oral evaluations.
    • Wait for videographer to change videocassettes between evaluations.
    • Call for Timekeeper to give report on length of Evaluation speeches, followed by balloting for best evaluator.
    • Ask for Grammarian’s report, Ah Counters report
    • Provide overall evaluation of the meeting including what went well, and where, and how improvements could be made.
    ADVANCED PREPARATION:
    • Contact evaluation team to ensure that all jobs are filled, answer questions and provide assistance.
    • Notify Toastmaster when a member is unavailable to fulfill assigned role.
    • Prepare "Thought For The Day".
    • Rehearse your role to give crisp introductions and instructions as well as a brief and constructive final report. Page 75 of C & L manual gives specific instructions concerning this report.

    GRAMMARIAN

    (Additional information located in C & L manual pages 76 & 77)

    This is a tough listening task that is part of the overall evaluation team. You will introduce the "Word of the Day" and listen and report grammatical errors and incorrect uses of the English language. Report on creative language usage.

    RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • Write the "Word of the Day" on the white boards and display them in front of the lectern and on a chair facing the lectern.
    • Introduce the "Word of the Day" including spelling, definitions and good applications.
    • Note and report word of the day usage by each member (especially if used in prepared speech).
    • Listen carefully for incorrect use of the English language and comment on improper usage when called for by the General Evaluator (this might include improper use of words or connectives, wrong pronunciation, run on or unfinished sentences, grammatical errors, poor sentence structure or over-used phrases) and comment on excellent language use.
    ADVANCED PREPARATION:
    • Select "Word of the Day" including spelling, definitions and good applications.

    TIMEKEEPER

    (Additional information located in C & L manual pages 72 & 73)

    RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • Record the time for each prepared speech, table topic presentation, and evaluation.
    • Give a brief report of times for each category, plus who qualified time-wise and in use of the "Word of the Day", when called upon.
    ADVANCED PREPARATION:
    • Contact speakers for length of speech and ask how they would like to be notified of the time throughout their speech. The timer can be custom programmed. Instructions are in the Timer Report Forms file.
    • Become familiar with operating the timing device.
    • Typical timing rules are:

      Speech (5-7 minutes)Timer Setting 10 Green @ 5 minutes
      Yellow @ 6 minutes
      Red @ 7 minutes
      Table Topics (1 to 2 minutes)Timer Setting 1 Green @ 1 minute
      Yellow @ 1 minutes 30 seconds
      Redv @ 2 minutes
      Evaluation (2 to 4 minutes)Timer Setting 3 Green @ 2 minutes
      Yellow @ 2 minutes 45 seconds
      Red @ 3 minutes 30 seconds

    AH COUNTER

    (Additional information is located in C & L manual page 77)

    RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • Listen carefully for the dreaded "Ah", hidden connectives "and", "so" "you know", "OK" and unnecessary pauses during prepared speeches, table topics, and evaluations.
    • Alert member by setting off the "clicker" each time an "ah", etc. is heard (not on prepared speeches).
    • Note the number of “ahs”, etc. by the member and report when called on by the General Evaluator.

    VOTE COUNTER

    RESPONSIBILITIES
    • Tally votes for speaker who best met objectives, best table topic, and best evaluator. Pass on to the Toastmaster.
    • Gather comments and evaluations and pass on to the individual members at end of meeting.

    SPEAKER

    (Additional information located in C & L manual pages 70 & 71)

    RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • Deliver a prepared manual (C & L manual or other advanced manual), non-manual speech or educational speech ranging from four to fifteen minutes.
    • Notify VP Education if speech will be in excess of 8 minutes.
    • Provide evaluator with evaluation form from manual or prepared evaluation form from club supply.
    • If giving an advanced manual speech give your evaluator a copy of the speech instructions so they can be adequately prepared to evaluate you.
    • Begin your speech by addressing the audience – "Mr./Madam Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and honorable guests".
    ADVANCED PLANNING:
    • Start early to give yourself enough time to research your topic and gather necessary information.
    • Read your assignment for thorough understanding and to ensure that your topic is appropriate.
    • Rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse, paying attention to vocal variety and gestures.
    • Contact the Toastmaster. Either provide the Toastmaster with enough biographical information to give you a good introduction or write your own intro. It is best that the Toastmaster has your written introduction before the meeting.
    • Contact the evaluator before the meeting about how you want to be evaluated.

    TOPIC MASTER

    (Additional information located in C & L manual pages 73 & 74)

    This is a creative and high-energy role: to lead table topics for members and guests, and to encourage impromptu speaking related to the theme of the day.

    RESPONSIBILITY:

    • Deliver a brief (less than one minute) introduction to your table topics relating to the theme of the day.
    • Explain, during your introduction, that guests are not required to speak. If they wish, they may take a topic or tell about themselves – or pass.
    • Assign a ‘topic’ to each member, who is not assigned a role, a topic composed of three words or less.
    • Be creative and have fun!!
    ADVANCED PREPARATION:
    • Prepare and rehearse a one-minute introduction to your table topics relating to the theme of the day.
    • Develop topics for each “available to assigned” member based on the theme of the day:
      • Develop topics specific to each member if possible.
      • Topics should not embarrass member or be controversial.
      • Prepare extra topics for visitors or for members who indicated they would be "unavailable" but end up coming.
    • Bring props or dress up if desired.

    EVALUATOR

    (Additional information located in C & L manual pages 71 & 72)

    Provide constructive feedback to the prepared speaker, both orally and in writing, as to what went well, their strengths, and areas of improvement. Evaluating a speech is a demanding and rewarding task because it requires good preparation, a caring attitude, good listening and the ability to report clearly. This role is assigned to members after they have completed three manual speeches.

    RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • When called on by the G. E. (after the speeches), give an oral ‘mini speech’ of 2 to 3 1/2 minutes providing constructive feedback as to the speaker’s strengths, what went well with the speech and areas of improvement for future speeches.
    • Complete the speaker’s evaluation forms for a manual speech (in the manual itself) or non-manual speech (evaluation forms are located in the clubs box of supplies).
    ADVANCED PREPARATION:
    • Contact the speaker before the meeting to gather information regarding their speech (title, manual/non-manual, length, etc.). Ask what they want you to look and listen for during their presentation and what are their goals.
    • Review the manual to ensure understanding of the assignment and any special evaluation requirements.

    MENTEE

    Your mentor is a member of the club who has given at least five speeches and one with whom you feel comfortable communicating. Within two weeks of joining, you should let the Vice President of Education know who you would like as your mentor. Be sure to list in order of preference three choices.

    MENTOR

    RESPONSIBILITIES:
    • Be in contact with mentee the first few weeks to answer questions and encourage. Offer to meet with them personally to answer their questions.
    • Contact the new member each week they have an assignment. Review assigned roles that are described in this writing.
    • Help the new member with their first three speeches, giving encouragement and suggestions as needed.