Roles and resources
Toastmaster
This role is completely in charge of the weekly meeting. Prior to the meeting, he/she ensures that all roles are filled, a meeting theme is established, and an agenda is published. During the meeting, this role introduces meeting participants and ensures that the meeting runs smoothly
General Evaluator
This role ensures that each speaker receives both an oral and written evaluation from another Toastmaster. He/she introduces the Timer, Ah-Counter and Grammarian for reports, and then orally evaluates the meeting as a whole, offering his/her impression of what went well and what could be improved
Table Topics Master
This role prepares a dozen open-ended questions on meeting-theme related topics that are likely to stimulate a speaker’s imagination. This role ensures that all members get a chance to speak, first calling on those without a formal duty on the day’s agenda
Speech Evaluator
This role delivers a short oral evaluation of a speech and fills out a written evaluation for the speaker. This role is to provide honest, constructive feedback on the speech as well as suggestions for improvement
Grammarian
This role selects a Word of the Day prior to the meeting and then listens for its use by meeting participants. During the meeting, the role listens for praiseworthy and not-so-praiseworthy use of the English language by attendees and notes this in a short oral report
Ah Counter
This role listens for verbal “stutter-steps” that detract from a speaker’s presentation, including “ahs,” “ums,” repeated words, throat clearing, and other unconscious but annoying habits of speakers, and notes these in a short oral report
Timer
This role operates the stopwatch and the green/yellow/red timing lights to ensure that all speakers are aware of their use of time and and notes this in a short oral report