Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a friendly atmosphere. A typical group has 20 to 40 members who meet weekly, biweekly or monthly. The average meeting lasts 90 – 120 minutes.

Toastmaster meetings are like participative workshops conducted in a manner which is proven over a period of more than 9 decades.There is no instructor in a Toastmasters meeting. Instead, members evaluate one another member’s presentations. This friendly feedback process is the key part of the program’s success. Meeting participants also give impromptu talks on assigned topics, conduct meetings and also develop skills related to timekeeping, grammar and parliamentary procedure.

 

Members learn communication skills by working as per the Competent Communication manual, a series of 10 self-paced speaking assignments designed to instill a basic foundation in public speaking.

Members also learn leadership skills by taking on various meeting roles and working in the Competent Leadership manual. In our learn-by-doing approach, we don't lecture our members about leadership skills; we give those responsibilities and mentoring to help. Then we ask them to lead.

Toastmasters meetings are very highly structured. These meetings are not ad hock, but are designed to give chance to as many people as possible to participate. There are classes on communication. Here’s how we conduct meeting.

1.   The Sergeant at Arms opens the meeting. He also recognizes and introduces any guests who are present.

2.   Toastmaster of the Evening. The Toastmasters job is to see that the meeting runs both on time and smoothly. He is the Master of Ceremonies. The Toastmaster will have previously called all the members and guests so that the meeting runs professionally.

3.   Timer The timer briefly explains the importance of timing and then gives the times for the Table Topics participants,  Prepared Speakers, and the Evaluators.

4.   Grammarian The Grammarian  keeps track of the members use of grammar and other verbal miscues. The Grammarian will select and discuss a word, which will help to build the members' vocabularies. Throughout the evening, the group will use the word as much as possible – for practice.He gives a short report on his findings at the end.

5.   Speakers (prepared) Here’s where members present prepared speeches from the Toastmasters Manual. Each speaker will have been previously assigned an evaluator  who takes careful notes throughout the speaker’s performance. Up to four speeches are given in a meeting with the Toastmaster moderating between them. End of all speeches  Toastmaster the adjourns the meeting for the Coffee Break.

6.   The Coffee break This is when Coffee & snacks are served and members are free to converse with each other. The Coffee break is typically 10 minutes.

7.   Table Topics Master The Table Topics Master will call members up, one at a time. They will be given a subject and will speak on that subject for one to two minutes without preparation. These short mini-speeches will be timed. This gives members practice in speaking off-the-cuff. Usually two to four Table Topics are given. Guests are never to be called on. Only those members that feel experienced enough to do this, are selected. 

8.   General Evaluator The General Evaluator conducts the evaluation portion of the meeting.

9.   Evaluators The evaluators give an oral evaluation of the speaker to which they had been assigned. The evaluations are two to three minutes and are timed. Speakers also receive written evaluations. All evaluations emphasize the positive aspects of speech.

10. General Evaluator The General Evaluator comments on the evaluator’s performance as well as the meeting as a whole.

11. The Toastmaster of the Evening  Concludes his role and hands control back to the President.

12.  The President presides over a short meeting to conduct club business. The President takes brief comments from anyone in the meeting. When complete, the meeting is adjourned for the night.