It is very important for the Toastmaster of the Day ( TMotD ) to confirm participants are planning to attend so he/she may adjust the agenda if necessary.
If you are not going to be able to attend the meeting and fulfill your role, PLEASE notify the TMotD of your replacement by noon on the Monday before the meeting. It is your responsibility to find a replacement for your position on the agenda. It is recommended NOT to utilize standard e-mail communications to secure your replacement. Instead, review the three-month rolling schedule and see if you can find a replacement for your position on the agenda. A higher success rate of finding a replacement has been found by picking up the phone and making a few calls to other Toastmasters who would welcome the opportunity and swap for a future role. Once you find your replacement (or are unsuccessful after moderate attempts), please call the TMotD immediately so he/she may make any necessary adjustments to the agenda.
PURPOSE:
Speech Evaluators have the important responsibility of evaluating individual prepared
speakers. This may require that you become fully aware of the current skill level,
habits and mannerisms as well as progress to date for the speaker you will be evaluating.
If you already know the speaker, some reflection on past performances may assist with your
evaluation. In addition to your oral evaluation, you will also give the speaker a written
evaluation from the manual.
PRIOR TO THE MEETING:
Talk with the speaker ahead of time to find out the speech number/title and discuss the
objectives of the speech. Ask about the goals of the speech and what is to be achieved.
Find out exactly which skills or techniques are planned to be strengthen through this objective.
Once you know which manual and speech, review the information provided on the pages prior to the evaluation page. Also study the objectives of the project as well as the evaluation guide. This will enable you to know more of what behaviors or skills to evaluate. Remember, the purpose of evaluation is to help the speaker develop additional speaking skills in various situations, including platform presentations, discussions and meetings. Achievement equals the sum of ability and motivation. By actively listening and gently offering useful advice, you will motivate the speaker to work hard and improve. When you show the way to improvement, you've opened the door to strengthening ability.
Prepare a brief but thorough summary of the purpose, techniques, and benefits of evaluations that explains your role in the program to visiting guests.
AS YOU ARRIVE AT THE MEETING:
Ask the Toastmaster to confirm the format of the evaluation portion of the meeting.
Then confer with the speaker one last time to see if they have any specific things
for you to watch for during the speech.
Borrow the speech manual for your written evaluation and review the evaluation guidelines therein if you have not had an opportunity before the meeting.
DURING THE MEETING:
Listen carefully to the speaker and record your immediate impressions - consider the questions
set out in the evaluation guidelines and try to answer them while the speech is in progress.
Also, record any ideas or impressions of the speech as it is being delivered. Complete the
written evaluation while the speech is fresh in your mind. Be as objective as possible.
Continuously take notes in addition to the items suggested by the manual. This will prevent you from forgetting things that you noticed or heard. You may use the margins in the manual for additional note space that will also help provide feedback to the speaker.
Jot down what you considered to be:
After the General Evaluator has announced the order of the Speech Evaluators, if you are first, move to the lectern and assume control. If not, remain seated and await your turn to assume control of the lectern. In your oral evaluation, try to begin and end with a note of praise and encouragement. Always include specific methods for improving their speaking when possible.
Begin with your brief talk on your role and responsibility.
The spirit of an evaluation is not one of criticism but it is important to make positive recommendations where there is obvious room for improvement.
Though you may have written lengthy responses to the manual evaluation questions, don't read the questions or your responses. Your oral evaluation time is limited. Don't try to cover too much in your evaluation; perhaps one point on organization, one on delivery, and one on meeting the objectives of the speech. In addition, be sure to include the deserved praise and tactful suggestions in the manner you would like to receive them when you present a speech at Tuesday Toasters.
The general format of evaluation used in Tuesday Toasters has become known as:
COMMEND - RECOMMEND - COMMEND
Your commendations should be addressed to the audience in general but the recommendations for improvement should be addressed to the speaker personally. Remember, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to deliver a speech, but as an evaluator you can point out how the speech came across to YOU.
Praise a successful speech and specifically tell why it was successful. Don't allow the speaker to remain unaware of a valuable asset such as a smile, a sense of humor, a good voice. Don't allow the speaker to remain ignorant of a serious fault or mannerism; if it is personal, write it but don't mention it aloud. Give the speaker the deserved praise and tactful suggestions in the manner you would like to receive them when you deliver a speech to the club. Remember that good evaluations may give new life to discouraged members and poor evaluations may dishearten members who tried their best.
At the conclusion of your evaluation, await the arrival of the next evaluator. If you are the last evaluator, wait and give control of the lectern to the General Evaluator, remaining at the lectern until they arrive; shaking hands and then return to your seat.
Your speech evaluation should fall within the time frame of a minimum of two and three minutes; the green light will be turned on at two minutes, amber light at two minutes thirty seconds, and the red light at three minutes.
AFTER THE MEETING:
Return the manual to the speaker. Add a verbal word of encouragement to the speaker, something that wasn't
mentioned in the oral evaluation.
RESOURCES:
Effective Speech Evaluation (Code 202)
Evaluate to Motivate (Code 292)
The Art of Effective Evaluation (Code 251)
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