Evaluation is the heart of the Toastmasters educational program. You observe the speeches and leadership roles of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for you. As evaluator you:
- Ask those you’ve been assigned to evaluate what they will present and what they wish to achieve.
- Provide objective verbal and written evaluations for speakers.
- When giving any evaluation, offer praise as well as constructive criticism.
To be a superb Evaluator
[Preparation]
Before the meeting
Ask speaker (or VPE or Misako)
1) Speech Title
2) Project Number and Manual
3) Get the digital version of evaluation sheet (ask Misako)
On the meeting day
Evaluation sheet ready
Review the evaluation sheet
Prepare something to write/type your thoughts
[During the Speech]
Divide your notepad or app/software to 2 columns.
In the left column: Write something you like about the speech content and delivery, as much as possible. Find a strength of the speaker.
In the right column: Write down something you think the speaker can improve about this particular speech. Be specific about the each point, as much as possible.
[During the Table Topics]
Summarize your evaluation:
- Craft a positive introduction
- Suggestions/recommendations on content and delivery in the body of your evaluation
- Conclude with a call-back, a call-to-action, and a summation
- Ending with summary and encouragement
[Delivering your Evaluation]
Effective Evaluations has a structure.
1) start with positive opening, 2) specific suggestions, 3) call-back (what can the speaker do for the next speech) and then, end with the encouraging words. The speaker can receive your evaluation without being offended/provoked. If the speaker is very nervous but you find a lot to improve for his/her speech, please emphasise something positive in public, leave the rest on the written form.
There is a video explaining this method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H97bLbZqt3s
Evaluation Guide (Youtube)
[Sample Basic Script]
Please tweak the way you like!
| Element | Sample script |
| Greeting | Mr./Madam General Evaluator, Fellow Toastmasters, welcome guests and especially [the speaker’s name]. |
| Commendable elements (something you loved about) | I particularly loved about your [read your note], especially when you said [read your note]. I also liked about [read your note], you did a great job on [read your note]. We all enjoyed it. |
| Improving opportunities | I would like to challenge you: [read your note] I wanted to feel more about [read your note]You could experiment with: [read your note] I’m still working on it, too, but here are my recommendations : [read your note] |
| Summary and Encouraging comment | In summation, [re-read the points you mentioned] To summarize, [re-read the points you mentioned] This is only my opinion as your audience, but I hope it helps.Again, I truly loved/enjoyed/etc about [read your note]. I enjoyed your speech and looking forward to seeing your future speech! |
| Greeting | Back to you, Mr./Madam Toastmaster. |
*please avoid the negative vocabulary “You should/shouldn’t have…” “You have to…”
Sample Video (Evaluation Contest Winners)
Emulate and tweak the top evaluators!