Rio Grande Valley Toastmasters - District 55

Today, the membership is 260,000 strong. These members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 12,500-plus clubs that make up the global network of meeting locations. Since 1924, more than 4 million people around the world have become more confident speakers and leaders because of their participation in Toastmasters. Toastmasters are members of a Club comprised of appr

oximately 20 people that meets weekly or bi-weekly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn communication and leadership skills by filling meeting roles, for example giving a prepared speech, giving an impromptu speech, or giving an oral evaluation of a fellow member's speech. Instead, each speech as well as the meeting are critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and suggestions for improvement. Members learn speaking skills by working in the Competent Communication manual, a series of 10 self-paced speaking assignments designed to instill a basic foundation in public speaking. Members also learn leadership skills by taking on various meeting roles and working in the Competent Leadership manual. In our learn-by-doing approach, we don't lecture members about leadership skills; we give them responsibilities and mentoring to help. Then we ask them to lead.