If you’re afraid of public speaking and looking to up your game, don’t worry — you’re not alone! 2 out of 3 people say they have glossophobia, the fear of public speaking. To help you overcome this fear, we’ve identified the top 6 public speaking classes in NYC. These classes span across different types of budgets and mediums, so you can start your speaking journey in a manner that fits your needs best!
1. Yoodli AI Speech Coach
Before you invest in a coach or a class, it may be helpful to understand where your skills stand. You can do this (and so much more!) by using Yoodli’s online AI speech coach — entirely for free! Start by recording a practice speech or playing one of the (super fun!) games, and Yoodli will give you instant AI-powered feedback. This feedback includes insight into your filler word usage, pacing, eye contact, body language, and many other relevant metrics. Yoodli can integrate with your life, giving you analytics anytime you speak, whether during a meeting, presentation, or even in a job interview!
Used by thousands of corporate professionals, including 300k+ Toastmasters across 160+ countries, Yoodli provides private, pressure-free practice and is a cost and time-effective way to get started on your public speaking journey.
An Overview of Yoodli!
2. New York City Toastmasters (District 46)
If you’re ready to take it a step further, one of the most proven ways to improve your public speaking skills is by joining Toastmasters! Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization to help individuals improve their public speaking and leadership skills. Each meeting, members practice their speaking in a safe and encouraging environment. They’ll give practice speeches, practice speaking off the cuff with table topics (impromptu speeches), and many other activities. To members, this environment quickly cultivates a community in which they are able to learn effectively, and build friends who can help them on their journey. To join a Toastmasters club in NYC, follow this link and reach out to any club that fits your schedule.
(P.S. Check out this great post on how Toastmaster Members competing in speaking competitions use Yoodli to win!)
3. Corporate Speech Solutions by Jayne Latz
If you’re looking for a more personal touch, consider working with one of the most highly rated speech coaches in New York City — Corporate Speech Solutions, by Jayne Latz. Per their website, Corporate Speech Solutions will work with you to ensure you develop strong communication skills. Not to mention, they have had a storied success working with thousands to transform their public speaking ability, making them one of the best public speaking classes in New York City.
4. TJ Walker’s 1-Hour Public Speaking Presentation Skills Class
If time is of the essence, a great place to get started is with TJ Walker’s 1-Hour Public Speaking Udemy Course! In this highly rated course, TJ goes over the basics of speaking, including elements such as how to look comfortable, confident, and relaxed in front of an audience, virtual presentations, selling with stories, and many other important facets of communication.
5. Speech Fox Coaching
Another great local NYC option is working with Melanie and her team at Speech Fox. Highly rated, Melanie is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she earned a Master’s in Linguistics. Speech Fox has a variety of speaking programs and has reviews from clients who share they achieved their “first public speaking gig without being nervous” with the help of Speech Fox!
6. Public Speaking Advantage with Paul Geiger
Training with Public Speaking Advantage will get you the confidence and the respect you deserve. Every Public Speaking Advantage training program is customized to each individual’s speaking priorities. Special areas of focus include Management Communications, Conflict Conversations, and Senior Level Visibility. Choose your method for commanding any room without fear, and take your career to the next level with Public Speaking Advantage! Learn more here.
While public speaking is a very daunting task, with the help of the above classes, you’ll be able to get started on your speaking journey and be communicating like a pro in no time! Happy speaking!
I’m Fred Vornbrock, a long-time member of Toastmasters and the 2023 (District 13). I’ve seen hundreds of Toastmasters speech contests over the years – however, the landscape of public speaking coaching is changing before our eyes.
One of the most exciting recent developments in the public speaking arena is the introduction of the Yoodli speech app. Toastmasters International recently announced a partnership to rollout Yoodli to all ~300k+ members globally.
How? By providing immediate feedback on our speeches, presentations, and Table Topics (impromptu speaking). By providing coaching/feedback on our word choice and delivery and by providing high-quality tutorials on speaking.
I currently mentor 20 Toastmasters members from countries across the globe and have challenged them with the “5 in 6” challenge. That is, they are to use Yoodli.ai five minutes a day, every day, for six weeks, and watch the results. Some use Yoodli’s Table Topics while others use the games: the “No Filler” game is especially popular! Several of them are now in Week 4 of this challenge.
Results? Some who used too many filler words (“um, so, like,” etc.) have cut their usage by half. Others who were stumped on what to say when asked an impromptu question now say they feel less stressed and more at ease when called on. One of the biggest “aha” moments is when a Toastmaster discovered that her tone of voice was not as warm and pleasant as she had thought. It was a wake-up call for her.
Now that we are in the thick of Toastmasters speech contests, more and more of our contestants are discovering they have a competitive edge with Yoodli. They are creating their own “5 in 6” schedule. They realize that Yoodli gives them the tools they can use daily in their contest preparations. They also recognize that their competition may also be using Yoodli.
Speechcrafters (those taking the Toastmasters crash course on Public Speaking) give their speech a second time after our sessions to see and hear how they come across when speaking. Yoodli flags their filler words, tells them how fast or slow they are going, and offers suggestions for improvement. They absolutely love this feedback! They can work at their own pace on the areas they want to improve. They also see how using Yoodli will make them better speakers. As one Speechcrafter said, “Through Yoodli, I can see my future.”
As for me, one of my Yoodli discoveries is that I sometimes mumble: my “going to” comes across as “gonna,” and my “want to” sounds like “wanna.” Even seasoned speakers are benefitting from the unvarnished feedback we receive from Yoodli.
Create your own “5 in 6” challenge and witness for yourself how your public speaking landscape smooths out….
What is Toastmasters like? What’s the Toastmasters club experience?
Last weekend I attended a Toastmasters club meeting for the first time. I’d heard about Toastmasters over the years, and I finally experienced it for myself.
I can’t remember the first time I heard about Toastmasters, but it had to be many years ago. All I knew is that people got together to practice public speaking.
A few weeks ago, Yoodli (a partner of Toastmasters) asked me to write a series of articles about Toastmasters for the blog. I enjoyed getting to know the organization from their website and videos. But, I wanted to get the Toastmasters club experience for myself.
So, what is Toastmasters like? Here’s my personal experience.
Finding a Club
I live in a small, remote town in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. The closest Toastmasters club to me is in Duluth, Minnesota. I didn’t have any trouble finding a club in Duluth (they have a few). Gratefully, I found a club that meets virtually.
I messaged the club’s contact (the treasurer), and he promptly responded with information about their next meeting. He assured me I’d be welcome to attend. Guests attend for free, and that’s true for any Toastmasters club.
Before the Meeting
Ahead of the meeting, the Toastmaster emailed me the agenda so I could know what to expect. The agenda included the names and contact information of all of the club officers. It indicated the meeting’s theme—Squirrel Appreciation Day. Yes, Squirrel Appreciation Day. (I picked the right meeting to attend!)
The agenda also included the Toastmasters Word of the Day (“squirrelly”) along with its definition and an example of how it’s used. Each club meeting has a Toastmasters Word of the Day. Chosen by the club Grammarian, it’s designed to help members expand their vocabularies. The idea is to use the word when possible during the meeting.
Of course, the agenda laid out the elements of the meeting. I had already gotten an idea of the Toastmasters culture from the friendliness and organization I’d experienced with the treasurer and the Toastmaster. The agenda reinforced the “organized” aspect of Toastmasters culture. A specific time accompanied each agenda item—everything from the Meet and Greet at 7:40 a.m. to the Adjournment at 9:45 a.m.
I have to admit that, at first, it was a bit overwhelming. We had thirteen main agenda items, several of which were broken down into sub items with details. On the other hand, I appreciated the organized approach and the attention to detail. It sent the message that they respect our time and intend to stick to the agenda.
The Club Meeting
Just before the 7:40 Meet and Greet, I clicked on the Zoom link for the meeting. I saw several smiling faces, and they greeted me warmly. They all seemed to know that I was a guest and expected me to attend. We exchanged pleasantries as more people joined.
A few minutes in, I noticed that one of the Zoom participants was “Elizabeth’s Yoodli.” I remembered that I’d connected my Yoodli account with my Zoom account. I explained to the others that it’s a software integration that provides an analysis of each participant’s word choice, listening, and delivery. It also instantly provides a transcript of the meeting, which is really nice to have. Not only is it helpful for meetings, it’s indispensable when practicing a speech. (This is why Toastmasters partners with Yoodli!)
Here’s a screenshot from the report I received after the meeting:
At 7:45 (just as the agenda directed), the evaluation teams met with the speakers in a Zoom breakout room. While I don’t know what happened in that ten-minute session, I imagine they discussed what would be evaluated during the speeches.
At 8:00, the club president called the meeting to order. She explained that this particular club emphasizes evaluation. This is reflected in their name as well as their culture. Not only do they evaluate the speeches, they evaluate the evaluations of the speeches!
It was interesting to see that, while all Toastmasters clubs have the same overall goal and culture, each one has their own emphasis and personality.
The president briefly introduced the guests (I wasn’t the only one) and the Toastmaster. While club officers don’t change from meeting to meeting, roles such as Toastmaster do. Other roles include Grammarian, Timer, Speaker, Evaluator, and General Evaluator.
The Toastmaster introduced the Grammarian, and she went over the Toastmasters Word of the Day (squirrelly!). The club’s Membership VP introduced the General Evaluator.
I was pleased to see a young lady (perhaps college-age) in the General Evaluator role, and she did a fine job. Toastmasters is open to people who are at least 18 years old, but they do have programs for teens. I wondered whether this young lady participated in these, because she already exhibited excellent confidence and leadership.
The General Evaluator took several minutes to explain her job and to introduce members serving in the various meeting roles so they could explain their responsibilities.
At 8:40, the Toastmaster introduced the first of two speakers. The agenda indicated that his speech was part of “Project: Dynamic Leadership, Level 2, Know Your Humor.” I wrote an article about Pathways, so I recognized that this project is part of that online learning experience.
Speaker #1’s speech lasted about eight minutes. He told a humorous story in which he changed, not only his Zoom background, but various aspects of his appearance to match what happened in the story.
Immediately after Speaker #1 finished, we all applauded, and the Toastmaster introduced one minute of silence so that the evaluators could make notes.
Next, the Toastmaster introduced the second and final speaker. She, too, spoke for about eight minutes. Her speech, which included maps and images, described what it’s like to teach in a remote part of northern Ontario in Canada.
The agenda indicated that the speech related to Pathways “Project: Effective Coaching, Level 3, Using Descriptive Language.” I remember one bit of descriptive language in particular that gave me a picture of northern Ontario. She told about driving at night, with the only light being her car’s headlights and their reflection on the snow.
At the conclusion of her speech, we once again applauded and paused for a minute of silence. During each speech, the Timer held up color-coded paper to let the speaker know how much time they had left.
We took a five-minute break at 9:00. After that, the two evaluation teams gave their reports on the speeches. Audience members also had a chance to share their feedback. One of the evaluators called on me, which hit me by surprise. I would like to have known that was a possibility so I could’ve been prepared, but impromptu speaking is a skill worth developing, right?!
Following the evaluations, we heard a report from the Grammarian. She talked about how people used “squirrelly” during the meeting. Apparently it didn’t matter a whole lot that the word wasn’t always used correctly; they were pretty informal and had fun with it.
Speaking of fun, a few times during the meeting, the Toastmaster asked squirrel-related trivia questions. We used the Zoom chat feature to answer. It was a thrilling moment when I came in first in identifying a picture of Rocky (of Bullwinkle fame)!
Next, the Timer and the General Evaluator gave their reports. The Toastmaster presented the Best Evaluator Award. It seems that votes taken during the meeting determined the winner (as a guest, I didn’t participate).
Around 9:40, the club president led what the agenda called the “business meeting.” It lasted just a few minutes and consisted of guest comments and closing remarks. They briefly mentioned a Toastmasters speech contest on the calendar. They also reviewed roles for the next meeting. Around 9:50 (a few minutes past schedule), the meeting adjourned.
Not all clubs have meetings that last as long as this one. (Not that it seemed long; the pace was good, and it kept moving.) Many clubs meet for an hour or two once a week. This club meets once a month for two hours.
Is Toastmasters for You?
This is just my experience with one club meeting. I’m grateful for it, and I learned things I couldn’t have learned from their website. There’s no substitute for experience!
Have you competed in speech contests? Can you see yourself winning the World Championship of Public Speaking?
Each year, Toastmasters speech contests culminate in the grand event known as the World Championship of Public Speaking. It’s an exciting journey of growth and achievement.
Read more to learn about this event and the Toastmasters speech contests that lead up to it. We’ll even introduce you to an artificial intelligence powered speech coach that can help you prepare for the world championships! 🙂
Public Speaking Education
Toastmasters has always been about educating community members in leadership and communication, especially public speaking. Toastmasters members practice public speaking in club meetings and receive further education through Pathways. Through these activities, they sharpen marketable skills that set them apart from the crowd.
Competition cultivates growth. While competing isn’t required, many find Toastmasters speech contests to be valuable experiences that boost their confidence and skills. The path to the World Champion of Public Speaking® also leads to opportunities to speak outside of the Toastmasters world and advance in their careers.
Let’s take a closer look at that journey.
Toastmasters Speech Contests
On any given day, you can find a Toastmasters club meeting in session somewhere around the world. Toastmasters International has 15,800 clubs in 149 countries. These clubs are the heart of the organization, and Toastmasters speech contests (ultimately leading up to the World Championship of Public Speaking®) start here.
Each year, thousands compete. Winners advance to competitions at the various levels of Toastmasters—Area, Division, District, and Region. The top two from each region are quarterfinalists. These move on to the International Speech Contest Semifinals. In 2022, 28 speakers competed in the semifinals.
A panel of experienced Toastmasters narrows the semifinalists down to eight finalists. These advance to the World Championship of Public Speaking.
The World Championship of Public Speaking
Thousands of Toastmasters compete each year. Eight make it all the way to the World Championship of Public Speaking. After each one delivers a speech that lasts about five to seven minutes, the first-, second-, and third-place winners are declared.
The first-place winner in 2022 was Cyril Junior Dim. Watch his winning speech, “Ndini”:
For these competitors and others, this experience can be life-changing. According to Toastmasters, the World Championship of Public Speaking® is “the opportunity of a lifetime. Past winners have used this accolade to become prominent paid speakers, delivering keynotes and speeches around the globe.”
The Annual Toastmasters Convention
In 2022, Toastmasters conducted both the International Speech Contest Semifinals and the World Championship of Public Speaking® as hybrid (in-person or virtual) competitions during the convention in August. In this annual event, Toastmasters members from all over the world come together to learn and network.
For an idea of what happens at the conventions, let’s look at the 2022 event. Held in August in Nashville (with an option to attend virtually), attendees chose from among four learning tracks:
Public Speaking—Sessions included “Engaging the Post-COVID Audience Through Real Human Connections,” “Speechwriters Panel,” and “Level Up Your Influence With Storytelling.”
Professional Development—Sessions included “Opportunities in the Great Resignation,” “Aim Higher, Do More, and Become More—Through Mentorship,” and “The Internal Combustion Engine of Leadership.”
Personal Growth—Sessions included “Mic Drop: How Storytelling Can Take Your Career to New Heights in a Hybrid World,” “Situational Leadership: Meeting Your Teammates Where They Are,” and “Is Leadership for You?”
Inclusive Excellence—Sessions included “Embrace Your Culture, Fast-Track Your Career,” “The Impact of Inclusive Leadership,” and “Including Disabilities in the Inclusion and Diversity Conversation.”
The Toastmasters Annual Business Meeting also takes place at the convention. Voting members of the organization conduct business and elect board members.
The Yoodli Advantage
Whether you’re competing in Toastmasters speech contests or competitions with other organizations, you can use the free Yoodli AI-powered speech app to practice and improve. Yoodli is a partner of Toastmasters, and Toastmasters members have access to a customized version of Yoodli.
Yoodli makes it easy to practice and get instant judgment-free feedback on various elements of your speech and body language. This practice and feedback will give you confidence and skills—not to mention an advantage over the competition.
Yoodli has been built with guidance from several former World Champions of Public Speaking, all of whom are on Yoodli’s advisory board. They include Craig Valentine, Ed Tate, Mark Brown, Verity Price, and numerous other speech experts.
Become a Winning Speaker
Even if you never win the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking, you can become a better public speaker than you were last week. That makes you a winner every time. Get started today with Toastmasters and Yoodli.
Does your school (or your kid’s school) teach public speaking skills? What about leadership skills?
There’s no doubt that people who are skilled in communication, public speaking, and leadership have an advantage. While schools provide a few opportunities for speaking and leading, precious few teach the skills. Toastmasters to the rescue …
Read more to learn how Toastmasters is helping young people learn and grow through the Youth Leadership program and the Interpersonal Communication module. We’ll even show you how students can get started improving their public speaking with Yoodli, the free AI powered speech coaching platform that Toastmasters International has partnered with.
Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program
Many students give presentations, participate in debates, and serve as class officers. They have college interviews and job interviews to look forward to. It’s never too early to start a lifelong pursuit of communication and leadership learning. People who have these in-demand skills—and the confidence that accompanies them—stand out from the crowd.
Toastmasters International has been teaching the world to speak and lead for almost 100 years. While you must be at least 18 years old to be a member of Toastmasters, you still can benefit from the organization’s education if you’re a student.
The Toastmasters Youth Leadership program is an eight-session workshop for up to 25 students. Each session lasts one to two hours. It’s offered on weekends, during school, or after school.
Take a look at what some of the workshop participants have to say about their experience.
The workshops function in a similar way to Toastmasters club meetings. They include speeches, practice in parliamentary procedure, and the election of officers.
A local Toastmasters club sponsors, coordinates, and presents the workshops. The club or a partner organization (e.g., a school) selects the program participants.
Those who complete the Youth Leadership program can receive credit toward a Distinguished Toastmaster award. This gives them a headstart on membership with Toastmasters when they’re old enough to join.
Interpersonal Communication Module
Maybe you’re not a Toastmasters member, but you want to help young people develop communication skills. You can use the Interpersonal Communication module. This is separate from the Toastmasters Youth Leadership program.
Participants complete assignments and enjoy group activities and discussions. They build valuable communication and listening skills that will set them apart in life, school, and their future career.
Teachers, guidance counselors, church leaders, or other community members who mentor young people can use this flexible youth communication module.
Yoodli: A Free Resource for Students
Young people, including participants in these Toastmasters programs, can take advantage of the free Yoodli AI speech tool. Yoodli is a partner of Toastmasters International. Yoodli uses artificial intelligence to analyze your speech and give you immediate judgment-free feedback on your most-used words, your ums and you knows, your eye contact, and more.
Practice an upcoming speech with Yoodli. Play the fun games to boost your confidence and skills. It truly is fun, and it’s free.
What’s more – Toastmasters has partnered up with Yoodli to bring AI powered speech coaching to ~300,000 members worldwide! More details in this video by the Toastmasters International President.
Wrapping Up
We all want to give kids the best chance to succeed in life and in their academic and professional pursuits. The Toastmasters Youth Leadership program and the Interpersonal Communication module give young people confidence and skills that will serve them the rest of their lives.
If you’d like to organize one of these programs or get your teen involved, the best place to start is a local Toastmasters club. They can let you know what’s on the calendar or get something scheduled.
Far too often, we get asked where the name Yoodli came from! Why is your public speaking coach called Yoodli out of all things? What does Yoodli mean? Read on to find out more:
What does the Yoodli name mean?
Yoodli is a play on the word “yodel” which is a type of voice exercise. For those of you who’ve watched the Sound of Music movie, you probably remember the song titled “The Lonely Goatherd.” Professional actors and singers yodel all the time to keep their muscles warm and open out their lungs. We made up the word Yoodli around the word Yodel to pay homage to our speech coaching roots!
Why did you name a public speaking company Yoodli?
Great question! We think its unfair that two out of three people are afraid of public speaking. We all speak all the time! How can we make speaking, something that’s deeply human, fun and light and playful? By reflecting that in our brand! Try saying Yoodli out loud three times quickly. You’ll end up smiling 🙂
Plus, Yoodli has the two Os and the L making us right at home with other companies you’ve probably thought of (Erm, what does Google mean?!). If you want to see how important a name is, check out what the Silicon Valley show had to say about the importance of a name.
What’s the right pronunciation of the name Yoodli?
We’ve seen all kinds of spellings of Yoodli! Anything from Udli to Yodli to Yooodli. The best way to say Yoodli is to emphasize the Os, and say the word quickly in a high pitched voice (You – ooooo – dli!). Check out the video below by expert coach Carissa Karner explaining how you can say Yoodli (and use it to improve your communication skills!)
Check out the fun ways in which you can pronounce Yoodli
What can Yoodli do for me?
Yoodli is a private, personalized, and judgement free speech coach. Yoodli provides you artificial intelligence powered analytics on the way you speak – you’ll get data on your filler words, pacing, eye contact, body language, non inclusive language, hand gestures, and much else. Get started for free at www.yoodli.ai. Yoodli is also partnering with Toastmasters International to bring public speaking coaching to members across the world!
Do you have a job interview coming up? A presentation at work? A toast at a wedding?
Whether or not you have an impending speaking engagement, you can benefit from improving your communication skills. That’s exactly what Toastmasters Speechcraft is designed to do—and you don’t have to belong to Toastmasters to take advantage of it.
Continue reading to learn how Speechcraft works—and how it can work for you.
What Is Toastmasters Speechcraft?
Speechcraft is Toastmasters’s education program for non-members. It’s a condensed version the Toastmasters experience that members enjoy through their clubs, learning programs, and contests.
Toastmasters Speechcraft trains people in public speaking basics. These skills can help them prepare and practice for an upcoming speaking opportunity or simply enhance their life and career.
The Speechcraft coordinator buys the program for $50 and invests their time, so they might charge a fee to attend.
How Does Toastmasters Speechcraft Work?
An experienced Toastmasters member serves as the Speechcraft coordinator. They recruit up to five people (called “Speechcrafters”) and train them with materials provided by Toastmasters. They provide this training in four, six, or eight sessions—with each session lasting one to two hours. Speechcraft might or might not be part of a club meeting.
Toastmasters Speechcraft comprises two parts:
Directed learning—This happens in person and in a group setting. It’s presented by someone (often a Toastmasters member) with extensive public speaking experience.
Individual learning—This is interactive digital content delivered through Base Camp, Toastmasters’s online education platform.
Speechcraft Projects
Each Speechcrafter completes several projects:
Choose a Topic—This helps the Speechcrafter find the sweet spot between what they want to say and what their audience needs and expects to hear.
Prepare to Present—During this project, the Speechcrafter writes and practices a speech. Yoodli, a partner of Toastmasters, provides a free tool to practice a speech. You receive immediate, judgment-free, AI-powered feedback on your word choices, filler words, body language, and more. Here’s a screenshot from the app (you can sign up at http://www.yoodli.ai):
Giving and Receiving Feedback—Toastmasters is big on evaluation and feedback because these elements are essential to learning and growth. With this project, the Speechcrafter learns about receiving and giving feedback.
Know Your Purpose—To be a truly successful communicator, you must identify and effectively share a purposeful message. This project helps Speechcrafters develop that skill.
Body Language—It’s one thing to be aware of your body language, and this project helps you not only be aware but become skilled in your understanding and use of body language and its role in speech delivery.
How to Evaluate—The Speechcrafter evaluates a speech using Toastmasters materials and then shares feedback based on their evaluation.
Vocal Variety—You already know that a monotone delivery isn’t awesome, but there’s more to learn about vocal variety. Through this project, the Speechcrafter learns how to use their voice and presence more effectively.
Powerful Words—A speech involves body language, voice, and—of course—words. The Speechcrafter learns to choose the right words and put them in the right order to help their audience understand, believe, and act.
Recognition
Speechcrafters earn badges by delivering speeches, and they receive a certificate upon completion of the program. If they join Toastmasters, the badges for delivered speeches count as credit in Pathways, the Toastmaters education program.
It should be easy to see how Toastmasters Speechcraft can benefit you as an individual. It’s also worth considering how teams can take advantage of this valuable training together. It’s likely that you serve on a team or lead a team that could improve their communication skills. Each Speechcraft bundle serves up to five people, but multiple bundles can be combined into one event. So, Toastmasters can accommodate your team of eight, 10, or 19.
Find a Toastmasters club near you to see if they’re offering a Speechcraft event. If they don’t have one on the calendar, ask them to put one together for you or your team!
Would you like to receive to receive individual and customizable training in motivational strategies? What about effective coaching? Engaging humor?
These are just three of the paths the make up Toastmasters International Pathways, the organization’s educational program for members. Through this program, you can develop career-enhancing skills in public speaking, communication, and leadership.
Continue reading for an overview of Pathways.
What Is Toastmasters International Pathways?
Toastmasters International Pathways is an interactive, customizable learning experience for Toastmasters members. Pathways teaches more than 300 competencies in the broad skills of public speaking, communication, and leadership.
The name “Pathways” derives from the 11 learning paths you can choose from (see more on this below). The program is available in several languages, and Toastmasters is continually adding more.
The primary way to access Pathways is through an online platform called Base Camp, which includes videos, quizzes, interactive activities, feedback, and recognition. If you don’t have online access, a limited version of Pathways is available in print for a $25 fee unless you print it yourself.
The cost of your first path is covered by your membership fee. Each additional path costs $20.
Toastmasters Pathways Paths
Toastmasters International Pathways has 11 paths to choose from. You can complete as many as you want over time. Click on a path for details.
If you’re not sure which path (or paths) to choose, Base Camp includes an online assessment that recommends three paths that match your skills, interests, and goals.
Each path comprises five levels:
Level 1—Mastering Fundamentals
Level 2—Learning Your Style
Level 3—Increasing Knowledge
Level 4—Building Skills
Level 5—Demonstrating Expertise
In each path, Level 1 (Mastering Fundamentals) comprises these projects:
Ice Breaker
Writing a Speech With Purpose
Introduction to Vocal Variety and Body Language
Evaluation and Feedback
The required projects in Levels 2 through 5 are unique to each path. In Level 3, you choose two elective projects. In Levels 4 and 5, you choose one elective project in each level.
Toastmasters Ice Breaker Speech
Let’s take a look at the Toastmasters Ice Breaker speech, since it’s how each pathway begins. Chances are, you’re familiar with the concept of an ice breaker—an activity that aims to help people know each other better and connect with each other. You’ve probably participated in an ice breaker a few times!
Toastmasters International sees the value in these connections, so they’ve coupled up the ice breaker concept with their focus—public speaking—to create the Toastmasters Ice Breaker speech.
The Ice Breaker speech is the first project in the first level of each path in the Toastmasters Pathways learning experience—whether you’re on the Effective Coaching path, the Engaging Humor path, or any of the 11 paths.
When someone delivers a Toastmasters Ice Breaker speech during a club meeting, they tell a story about themselves that introduces them to other club members. They might do this when they’re new to the club or later on when they want to share something about themselves that they haven’t talked about before.
You can experience an Ice Breaker speech firsthand by visiting a Toastmasters club meeting. If you’re not a member, you may attend as a guest. Clubs meet in person and/or online.
A Sample Journey Through Pathways
Next, let’s take a look at a sample journey to get a better idea of how Toastmasters International Pathways works.
Kirsten is a teacher. She wants to improve her presentation skills and the connection she has with her students. She chooses the Presentation Mastery path.
In Level 1 (Mastering Fundamentals), she learns about writing a speech with purpose, vocal variety, and body language.
In Level 2 (Learning Your Style), Kirsten gets further training related to body language and gets a handle on her own communication style. She also gets an introduction to Toastmasters mentoring, which is a Level 2 project in each path.
In Level 3 (Increasing Knowledge), Kirsten receives instruction related to persuasive speaking. From a list of 14 elective projects, she chooses two: Connect With Storytelling and Using Descriptive Language.
In Level 4 (Building Skills), she learns how to manage a difficult audience. From a list of seven elective projects, she chooses one: Question-and-Answer Session.
In Level 5 (Demonstrating Expertise), Kirsten chooses one elective project—High-Performance Leadership—from a list of five. Drawing on all that she’s learned, she delivers an extended speech that she’s prepared and practiced using the free AI-powered speech coach from Yoodli, a Toastmasters partner. With Yoodli, she gets private, personalized and judgement free feedback on her public speaking. She can track her filler words, eye contact, pacing, word choice, body language, and much else!
Progress, Completion, & Recognition
Each club has a Base Camp manager who tracks your progress.
When you complete a level, you receive recognition in the form of a digital badge and certificate. When you complete a path, you’re recognized as “Proficient” in that expertise.
Upon completion of Level 3, 4, or 5, you may ask Toastmasters to send a letter to your employer to notify them of your achievement.
If you complete two learning paths, you’ve met one of the requirements to become a Distinguished Toastmaster.
Are there virtual Toastmasters clubs? How else can people benefit from Toastmasters online?
Even though Toastmasters International is nearly 100 years old, they’re staying up with the times. You can attend virtual Toastmasters meetings and take advantage of several other opportunities to learn public speaking and leadership skills online.
Continue reading to discover how you can connect, even if you’re not currently a member of Toastmasters.
Virtual Toastmasters Clubs & Meetings
Remember 2020, when the world went inside? Toastmasters International, which has held local club meetings since 1924, innovated and went virtual. Over 80% of their clubs met online during the lockdowns, and many still do.
Toastmasters club meetings are known for being safe and supportive places to practice your public speaking and leadership skills and get feedback from people who want you to succeed. It’s no different in virtual Toastmasters meetings. You’re still heard, stretched, and encouraged. You still belong.
Some clubs meet exclusively online, and others offer a hybrid option. You can attend a hybrid club meeting virtually or in person.
To find a virtual Toastmasters club, you have a couple of options:
Browse clubs that have an online or hybrid option. In the Search Options, select “Online attendance.” You can search for clubs in your area or anywhere in the world!
Browse “Online-Only” clubs. Here, you can find general clubs or clubs with a particular interest, such as the North America Chinese Bilingual Toastmasters, Witty Storytellers Online, NAACP Chicago Southside, and Toastmasters in the Kitchen.
All Toastmasters clubs help you improve your public speaking and leadership skills and provide you with fellowship and networking experiences. But, each club has its own personality and schedule, so try a club or two (or eight), and find one that’s a fit for you.
Resources for Virtual Toastmasters Meetings (or Any Virtual Meetings)
Facilitating a meeting online takes particular skills, and Toastmasters provides a guide to successful online meetings. You can use these guidelines to lead any online meeting.
If you use Zoom for your online meetings, be sure to use the free integration with Yoodli to get immediate feedback on your speaking, eye contact, and more.
5 More Toastmasters Online Opportunities
While clubs are at the heart of Toastmasters, the organization provides more resources and programs to help you improve your skills. Most of these are available to non-members.
You can listen to Toastmasters podcast episodes about communication skills for entrepreneurs, stage fright, virtual event hosting, overcoming stuttering, and other topics.
#3: Pathways
Pathways is the central Toastmasters online learning program for members. Choose your own path (for example, Dynamic Leadership, Presentation Mastery, or Persuasive Influence), and embark on a journey through scores of competencies. Along the way, you’ll be supported and mentored by your fellow Toastmasters.
#4: Speechcraft
In Speechcraft, experienced Toastmasters members lead non-members through a digital learning program that lasts four, six, or eight weeks.
Virtual Toastmasters meetings and these online resources can help you grow in confidence and skills, enhancing your life and career. Today’s a great day to start and Yoodli’s AI powered speech coach can help 🙂
Is Toastmasters worth it? What difference does it make in people’s lives and careers?
Toastmasters International is the world’s premier public speaking and leadership organization. Through its local and virtual clubs, digital learning programs, and competitions, it makes speakers and leaders out of ordinary people who aim to learn and grow.
Continue reading to discover the benefits of Toastmasters and determine whether it’s worth the investment.
Is Toastmasters Worth It?
Toastmasters membership costs $60 for six months. New members pay a $20 one-time fee. Members generally invest an hour or two a week in club meetings. They often spend additional time on speech preparation, leadership responsibilities, online learning, and speech contests.
So, is Toastmasters worth it? Is it a good investment of money and time? Over 280,000 people think so. (That’s Toastmasters’s global membership.)
Let’s explore six benefits of Toastmasters and take a look at what members have to say.
6 Benefits of Toastmasters
The benefits of Toastmasters enhance both the personal and professional lives of their members. They include the development of skills, self-confidence, and self-awareness; access to the top-ranked public speaking app Yoodli; and opportunities for fellowship, networking, and building others up.
Benefit #1: Life Skills & Work Skills
Toastmasters is an educational organization. All of its activities help people develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. These skills are in high-demand in all industries, so Toastmasters members have an edge in the workplace and job market.
Toastmasters member Nancy Huynh says, “This is probably the best thing that you can do for your career. No matter what job you have, communication is key.”
Dolores Lara joined Toastmasters to become a better public speaker, and she found even more than that: “I’ve become an accidental leader.”
Toastmasters helps David Reichelt lead his own company and brilliantly handle the PR that comes along with the success of his business. As David says, you never know when you’ll be in a real-world situation where you need the skill of public speaking!
Toastmasters video about improving public speaking
Communication, public speaking, and leadership are quite broad categories, and the Toastmasters Pathways education program breaks them down into over 300 competencies in 11 learning paths that include conflict resolution, project management, interview preparation, effective coaching, and visionary communication.
If you want to be a competent communicator or leader, it helps if you believe you can do it. Most people have a fear of public speaking, and many think that leadership is beyond their grasp. One of the benefits of Toastmasters is that it can help you believe in yourself—and give you good reason to do so.
Here’s what Man Jen Ng has to say about his Toastmasters experience: “It revealed things I never thought I could do. I never thought I could write, and I never thought I could speak in public.”
The Toastmasters experience boosted Sara’s self-confidence so much, she made a career change. Although, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that she found her true self. Watch Sara’s story.
How does Toastmasters improve your self-confidence? It stretches you while supporting you. You’re given opportunities to speak and lead, you’re equipped to do so with examples and guidelines, and you’re given encouragement and constructive feedback from people who care about you and want you to grow and succeed. Toastmasters culture is, by design, safe and supportive.
Benefit #3: Self-Awareness
Feedback contributes to self-awareness, another benefit of Toastmasters. You might not realize that you tend to say “you know” at the end of sentences or that you can come across a little bossy when you lead. Your fellow Toastmasters will let you know in a way that’s encouraging and insightful rather than scolding or shaming.
You also might not realize that you have a way of putting people at ease when you facilitate meetings or that making eye contact is one of your strengths. Your Toastmasters club companions will tell you. Self-awareness helps you embrace the real you, leverage your strengths, and grow where you need to.
In Toastmasters clubs and contests, members deliver prepared speeches and impromptu speeches. With Yoodli, they can practice their prepared speeches ahead of time and get immediate, judgment-free feedback on elements such as filler words and eye contact. They also can practice impromptu speaking with Yoodli’s fun games.
While those features are available to all Yoodli users for free, the Toastmasters version of Yoodli also includes Table Topics®, a grading rubric, sample speeches, and additional custom content.
Benefit #5: Fellowship & Networking
The heart of Toastmasters is its clubs. Clubs are just the right size for members to foster both friendships and professional relationships. They’re big enough to be diverse in ways that matter and small enough to provide a warm, welcoming environment where you can truly belong.
Toastmasters member Nilofer Tanna says, “Each and every member in the organization I meet is positive. They are always there to encourage you. They are always there to guide you, to support you.”
While Toastmasters is an educational organization, they realize that learning (especially of this kind) is at its best when it’s in the context of community.
Benefit #6: Serving Others
Member Pia Duryea puts this benefit of Toastmasters rather well. Toastmasters, she says, gives you “the ability to make other people better.”
While Toastmasters isn’t categorized as a service organization, it certainly could be considered as such. You’ve already learned how members encourage, equip, and support each other. While they engage in healthy, fun competition at times with their speech contests, ultimately they know they’re all on the same team. They root each other on, they provide priceless feedback, and they set everyone up for success.
Wrapping Up
So, is Toastmasters worth it? Each of these benefits of Toastmasters has huge value for your career and for life in general. But, you can be the judge. Find a Toastmasters club near you, and see what difference it makes for you.
