The Toastmasters Educational Program
The educational program is the heart of a Toastmasters Club.
It is the means through which you develop your communication
and leadership skills and achieve your goal of becoming a
better communicator.
The Toastmasters educational program is divided into two
tracks -- a communication track and a leadership track. The
communication track is the major part of the system -- almost
all new members join Toastmasters for the benefits this track
offers. Some become involved in the leadership track. The
tracks are not mutually exclusive. You may participate in
both tracks at the same time if you wish.
Communication Track
The core of the communication track is the Communication and
Leadership Program manual (also called the "basic manual"),
which contains 10 speech projects. Every new member is sent
a basic manual within 48 hours after his/her application for
Membership (Form 400) is received at World Headquarters. (Included
in the material sent with the basic manual are three other
manuals: Your Speaking Voice, Effective Speech Evaluation,
and Gestures: Your Body Speaks.)
The CTM Award
The basic manual helps develop your speaking skills one step
at a time. Every project builds upon what you have learned
in the preceding project. As you complete the projects you'll
learn the importance of sincerity in speaking, how to effectively
organize a presentation, how to use body language and voice
to convey your message, word choice and props, persuasive
speaking, and how to inspire others.
Your first goal as a member is to complete this manual. When
you do, you are eligible for Competent Toastmaster (CTM) recognition.
When you finish all 10 projects, complete the CTM application
(Catalog no. 223 in the manual), have the Vice President Education
sign it, and send it to World Headquarters. You'll receive
a CTM certificate and, if this is your first CTM award, two
Advanced Communication and Leadership Program manuals free
of charge. If you wish, World Headquarters will send your
employer a letter about your accomplishment.
Advanced Program
After receiving CTM recognition you can enter the Advanced
Communication and Leadership Program, where you can refine
and enhance your basic skills. This program consists of 15
manuals, each containing five speech projects. Many of the
manuals are career-oriented; several are not. You choose the
manuals you want to complete and the skills you want to learn.
The manuals are:
The Entertaining Speaker (226-A)
Speaking to Inform (226-B)
Public Relations (226-C)
The Discussion Leader (226-D)
Specialty Speeches (226-E)
Speeches by Management (226-F)
The Professional Speaker (226-G)
Technical Presentations (226-H)
Persuasive Speaking (226-I)
Communicating on Television (226-J)
Storytelling (226-K)
Interpretive Reading (226-L)
Interpersonal Communication (226-M)
Special Occasion Speeches (226-N)
Humorously Speaking (226-O)
When you work in the advanced manuals you are eligible for
several awards:
Advanced Toastmaster Bronze (ATM-B) Award
To be eligible for this award, you must have:
- Achieved Competent Toastmaster award
- Completed two Advanced Communication and Leadership Program
manuals
Advanced Toastmaster Silver (ATM-S) Award
To be eligible for this award, you must have:
- Achieved new Advanced Toastmaster Bronze award or achieved
Able Toastmaster award
- Completed two additional advanced manuals (may not be
those completed for previous awards)
- Conducted any two programs from The Better Speaker Series
and/or The Successful Club Series
Advanced Toastmaster Gold (ATM-G) Award
To be eligible for this award, members must have:
- Achieved new Advanced Toastmaster Silver award or achieved
Able Toastmaster Bronze award
- Completed two additional advanced manuals (may not be
those completed for previous awards)
- Conducted a Success/Leadership Program, Success/Communication
Program (Success/Leadership or Success/Communication programs
may not be those completed for Able Toastmaster Bronze award)
or a Youth Leadership Program
- Coached a new member with the first three speech projects
By the time you earn the Advanced Toastmaster Gold award,
you will have completed six of the available Advanced Communication
and Leadership Program manuals and will have learned many
valuable advanced speaking skills.
To apply for any of the Advanced Toastmaster awards, complete
the appropriate section of the Advanced Toastmaster Award
application (Catalog no. 1207-A). This application also is
in the back of each advanced manual and is available from
World Headquarters.
You'll receive a certificate and, if you wish, World Headquarters
will send a letter to your employer about your achievement.
Accredited Speaker Program
Toastmasters International has a special program which recognizes
those members who have professional-level speaking skills.
The Accredited Speaker Program is not for everyone. Only a
handful of Toastmasters have what it takes to become Accredited
Speakers. Less than 25 percent of those who apply for the
program become Accredited Speakers.
The program is conducted annually. To qualify as an Accredited
Speaker, an applicant must be a current member of a Toastmasters
Club. He or she also must be an Able Toastmaster or Advanced
Toastmaster Bronze and have had a minimum of 25 speaking engagements
to non-Toastmasters audiences within three years of application
date. Five copies of letters of acknowledgment or appreciation
from any of the 25 engagements must be provided as documentary
evidence of successful presentations. In addition, applicants
must pass a rigorous two-stage judging process.
If you or someone in your Club has professional-level speaking
skills, call or write World Headquarters for the Accredited
Speaker Program brochure and application. Deadline each year
for entries is November 1.
Leadership Track
As mentioned earlier, the Toastmasters educational program
also includes a leadership track, where you acquire and practice
the skills necessary to be an effective leader. You can serve
as a Club leader, developing skills in planning, training,
motivating, and managing. You even can become a District leader,
where these skills are further enhanced. You also can participate
in the "High Performance Leadership" program (Catalog
No. 262), which requires you to conduct a project of your
choice in which you serve as a leader. The program provides
study material and activities to complete.
Following are the awards members may earn in the leadership
track and the requirements for each.
Competent Leader (CL) Award
To be eligible for this award, you must have:
- Achieved Competent Toastmaster award
- Served at least six months (June 1 through December 31,
or January 1 through June 30) as a Club officer (President,
Vice President Education, Vice President Membership, Vice
President Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, or Sergeant
at Arms) and participated in the preparation of a Club Success
Plan while serving in this office
- While a Club officer, participated in a District-sponsored
Club officer training program
- Conducted any two programs from The Successful Club Series
and/or The Leadership Excellence Series (may not be those
completed for any previous award)
Advanced Leader (AL) Award
To be eligible for this award, you must have:
- Achieved Competent Leader award
- Served a complete term as a District officer (District
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Public Relations Officer,
Secretary, Treasurer, Division Governor, or Area Governor)
- Competed the High Performance Leadership program
- Served successfully as a Club Sponsor, Mentor, or Coach
To apply for any of the leadership awards, complete the appropriate
section of the Leadership/Distinguished Toastmaster Awards
application (Catalog No. 1209-A). Applications also are available
from World Headquarters and are on this website.
You'll receive a certificate and, if you wish, World Headquarters
will send a letter to your employer about your achievement.
Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) Award
The Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award is the highest
award our organization bestows and it recognizes both communication
and leadership skills. To be eligible for the DTM award, a
member must have:
- Achieved Advanced Toastmaster Gold award
- Achieved Advanced Leader award
To apply for the DTM award, complete the appropriate section
of the Leadership/Distinguished Toastmaster Awards application
(Catalog No. 1209-A). Applications also are available from
World Headquarters.
You'll receive a special plaque and, if you wish, World Headquarters
will send a letter to your employer about your achievement.
|
