Toastmasters Vocabulary

Club Terms:

Toastmaster:
A member of Toastmasters International; A dues paying member of a Toastmasters club;
Also, A meeting role: The member assigned to emcee a club program. Responsible for the flow and continuity of a club meeting.
Table Topics Master:
A meeting role: The member assigned to conduct the impromptu speaking segment of the program. Responsible for developing questions to be posed to members and the selection of members to participate.
General Evaluator:
A meeting role: A member assigned to conduct the Evaluation segment of the program. Evaluates the effectiveness of the Evaluators. Also provides an overall valuation of the meeting against the Standard of Excellence for Toastmasters Clubs meetings.
Speech Evaluator:
A meeting role: Members assigned to evaluate individual speeches. Responsible for providing the speaker with growth oriented feed back on his/her performance/presentation in accordance with the speech project objectives.
Prepared Speech:
A speech, normally from one of the Toastmaster speech manuals, that a Toastmaster member will give at a meeting. The speech has a predetermined time limit and should meet the objectives stated under the speech project.
Word of the Day:
This is a WORD, given at the beginning of a meeting, that Toastmaster members are encourage to use in either their speeches, evaluations or when giving Table Topics. The WORD, it's spelling, pronunciation and meaning are given by the Word Master or Grammarian. At some Clubs, the Word Master can also be a meeting role and whoever uses the WORD the most during the meeting gets an award (ribbon or trophy).
Timer:
A meeting role: A member assigned to time each element of the program and each member who participates in the speaking program, including Table Topics, Formal Speakers, and Evaluators.
'Ah' Counter:
A meeting role: A member assigned to monitor speech fill ins or 'crutch words' such as 'ah', 'em', 'you know', 'well', and other sounds and words used to fill time as the person tries to think of what to say next.
Grammarian:
A meeting role: member assigned to listen to, and comment on, the proper use of words in the English language. Responsible for recognizing creativity and for offering suggestions for improvements.

Club Officers:

President:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for the operation of the club during the term of office.
VP of Education:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for encouraging and promoting educational programs to the members and scheduling speech assignments for the club members.
VP of Membership:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for recruiting new Toastmaster members into the club.
VP of Public Relations:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for promoting an awareness of Toastmasters to the community at large through advertisements, press releases, news letters, liaison with local media and public announcements.
Secretary:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for maintaining membership roster, manages the club's correspondence, records minutes of the club meetings and maintains club files and records.
Treasurer:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for collection of membership dues, payment of bills, and maintaining club's financial records.
Sergeant at Arms:
A member of a Toastmaster club who is elected for either a six or twelve month term of office and is responsible for arranging the meeting facility and maintaining club's equipment and property.

Education Manuals:

Competent Communicator Manual:
This is the basic speech manual with ten speech projects. The projects are laid out in a progressive sequence to build oratory skills. Completion of this manual is necessary to receive the Competent Communicator Award.
Competent Leadership Manual
This is the basic leadership manual which accomapanies the Competent Communicator manual. The projects focus on the meeting roles in a progressive sequence to build leadership skills. Completion of this manual is necessary to receive the Competent Leader Award.
Advanced Speech Manual(s):
These are a set of manuals, with five speech projects in each manual, that further refine communication skills and allow Toastmasters to pursue special interests. Each manual focuses on a specific area of verbal communication. The range of interest go from 'Storytelling' to 'Communicating on Television'; from being an entertaining after dinner speaker to 'Special Occasion Speeches' such as toasts and accepting an award; from 'Persuasive Speaking' (salesmanship) to 'Speeches by Management'. Completion of two of these manuals entitles the Toastmaster to be awarded the next level of achievement. (See ACB, ACS, and ACG).

Communication Track Terms:

COMPETENT COMMUNICATOR (CC):
Your first mile marker on the Communication track. Upon completion of the 10 speech assignments in the Competent Communicator manual, you'll receive the CC award.
ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR BRONZE (ACB):
With the completion of Competent Communicator award and the completion of two Advanced Communication manuals, you will receive the ACB award.
ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR SILVER (ACS):
With the completion of the Advanced Communicator Bronze award and the completion of two more Advanced Communication manuals (they cannot be those completed for any previous award) and in addition, conducted any two modules from The Better Speaker Series and/or The Successful Club Series programs, you will receive the ACS award..
ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR GOLD (ACG):
Prerequisites for ACG award are as follows -
Achieved Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS) award;
Completed two additional Advanced Communication manuals (may not be those completed for any previous award);
Conducted either a Success/Leadership Program, or a Success/Communication Program or a Youth Leadership Program;
Coached a new member with their first three speech projects.

Leadership Track Terms:

COMPETENT LEADER (CL):
Your first mile marker on the Leadership track. Upon completion of the Competent Leadership manual, you'll receive the CL award.
ADVANCED LEADER BRONZE (ALB):
Prerequisites for the ALB award are as follows -
Achieved Competent Leader award;
Achieved Competent Communicator award;
Served at least six months as a club officer and participated in the preparation of a Club Success Plan while serving in this office;
While serving in the above office, participated in a district-sponsored club officer training program;
Conducted any two programs from The Successful Club Series and/or The Leadership Excellence Series.
ADVANCED LEADER SILVER (ALS):
Prerequisites for the ALS award are as follows -
Achieved Advanced Leader Bronze award;
Served a complete term as a district level officer;
Completed the High Performance Leadership program;
Served successfully as a club sponsor, mentor or coach.
DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTER (DTM):
Achieved Advanced Communicator Gold award;
Achieved Advanced Leader Silver award.
Distinguished Toastmaster is the highest recognition a member may receive.

Toastmasters Organization Terms:

Area:
An "Area" provides district contact, support and services to the club so that the club may fulfill its responsibilities to its members. Generally four to five clubs are grouped together into one Area. The purpose of the "Area" is to present and support in the club officers training, conduct Area speech contests, and to provide communication link between the the district and its clubs.
Division:
A "Division" serves the club assigned to it by providing district support and resources to clubs and members through the area governors. A "Division" also assist in administration, presentation of Division speech contests, and provide club officers training in coordination with Lt. Gov. of Education & Training.
Generally Four to Five Areas are grouped together into one Division.
District:
A "District" is an administrative body and consists of divisions, areas and clubs. The purpose (the mission) of the district is enhance the performance and extend the network of clubs, thereby offering greater number of people the opportunity as well as the benefits of the Toastmasters educational program.
In District 65 there are currently four Divisions. The winners of the Division level speech contests compete against each other at the District Conference and the winners move up to the Regional level.
Region:
Several Districts are grouped into a Region which can span several states. Winners of the District level contests compete against each other at the Regional level before moving on to the International contest.
Toastmasters International:
The headquarters for the Toastmaster organization located in Mission Viejo, California.
The website for Toastmasters International is www.Toastmasters.org

District Leadership Terms:

District Governor:
A District Governor is elected by the members of the clubs within the district. As district's chief executive officer, the responsibilities include management and administration of the district operations
Division Governor:
The Division Governor is an elected position who strives to achieve the mission of the district within the division, accomplishing district goals in membership building and retention, club building and educational accomplishments.
Area Governor:
An Area Governor is appointed by District Governor to provide support and assistance to each Club so that it may achieve the club mission and fulfill its responsibilities to the club members.

Leadership Meetings:

Executive Committee Meeting:
A meeting usually held at Waterloo six times a year and primarily consisting of district officers (Area and Division Governors and the seven District Leaders) and club extension specialists. Invited TM guests can include various committee members, conference co-chairs, and other Toastmasters as necessary.
Leadership Breakfast:
Once a year the top two club officers (President and VP of Education) are invited to attend the morning portion of an Executive Committee Meeting. There is NO voting done at this meeting nor any "official" business conducted. This is a "get to know the club officers and meet the district officers" in a training and/or information passing environment.
District Council Meeting:
This meeting is held twice a year at the Spring and Fall District Conferences. The district council members (Club President and VP Education and District officers) meet to present and vote on issues (Annual budget, etc).
The term "Business Meeting" is sometimes used in place of the correct term "District Council Meeting" at conferences. The reason is that, although only the district council members can vote by proxy, the meeting is open to ALL toastmasters present at the conference. Calling it by its correct name - District Council Meeting - may give the impression that only district council members are invited or can attend.