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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
Specialist
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.
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