* This educational program was closed on June, 2020.

Educational Program

Communication and leadership development

The educational program is the heart of every Toastmasters club. It provides members with a proven curriculum that develops communication and leadership skills one step at a time, with many opportunities for awards and recognition along the way. The communication and leadership tracks are not mutually exclusive; you may participate in both at the same time, if you wish.

  • You progress along each track by working through a series of manuals, each of which offers a set of carefully crafted projects to complete.
  • Each project includes an evaluation guide, which gives club members an easy way to provide immediate feedback as the project is completed.
  • Once you become a member, you can begin the educational program right away.

The New Member Kit includes the following manuals to get you started in both tracks:

  • Competent Communication
  • Competent Leadership
  • Your Speaking Voice
  • Effective Evaluation
  • Gestures: Your Body Speaks
TI's Educational System

Communication Track

Members who wish to focus on communication skills begin with the Competent Communication manual that’s included in the New Member Kit. Once they have completed this manual, they can progress to manuals in the Advanced Communication Series.Note: The titles and contents of the manuals change as needed. Please use the information below to get a rough idea.

Competent Communication manual

Competent Communication
The 10 speech projects in this manual will help you develop your speaking skills one step at a time.
  • Icebreaker
  • Organize your Speech
  • Get to the Point
  • How to Say It
  • Your Body Speaks
  • Vocal Variety
  • Research Your Topic
  • Get Comfortable with Visual Aids
  • Persuade with Power
  • Inspire your Audience

CC manual

Advanced Communication Series

The Entertaining Speaker (The Japanese version is available)
Projects address preparing and delivering an entertaining speech and incorporating humor into different aspects of speaking.

  • The Entertaining Speech
  • Resources For Entertainment
  • Make them Laugh
  • A Dramatic Talk
  • Speaking after Dinner
Speaking to Inform (The Japanese version is available)
This manual contains information about organizing an informational speech and much more!

  • Speech to Inform
  • Resources for Informing
  • The Demonstration Talk
  • A Fact finding Report
  • The Abstract Concept
Public Relations
Covers preparing a speech that will sway your audience to what ever it is you’re promoting.

  • The Goodwill Speech
  • Radio Talk Show
  • The Persuasive Approach
  • Speaking Under Fire
  • Crisis Management Speech
Facilitating Discussion
Group discussions are common, and this manual provides instruction in facilitating the most common types of discussions.

  • The Seminar Solution
  • The Round Robin
  • Pilot A Panel
  • Make Believe
  • The Workshop Leader
Specialty Speeches
This manual contains information about giving the most common ones, and it covers impromptu talks, preparing inspirational speeches, selling a product, reading out loud and introducing a speaker.

  • Speak Off the Cuff
  • Uplift the Spirit
  • Sell a Product
  • Read Out Loud
  • Introduce the Speaker
Speeches by Management
This manual offers instruction in giving speeches as a member of management.

  • The Briefing
  • The Technical Speech
  • Manage and Motivate
  • The Status Report and Confrontation
  • The Adversary Relationship
The Professional Speaker
This manual offers guidance in preparing various types of speeches in a professional atmosphere.

  • The keynote Address
  • Speaking to Entertain
  • The Sales Training Speech
  • The Professional Seminar
  • The Motivational Speech
Technical Presentations
Learn how to prepare technical briefings, design and present a proposal, talk about a technical subject to a nontechnical audience, present a technical paper and enhance a technical talk with the internet.

  • The Technical Briefing
  • The Proposal
  • The Nontechnical Audience
  • Presenting a Technical paper
  • The Team Technical Presentation
Persuasive Speaking
Projects cover selling a product, making “cold calls,” preparing a winning proposal, convincing an audience to at least consider your side of a controversial issue or subject and persuading listeners to help bring a vision and mission to reality.

  • The Effective Salesperson
  • Conquering the Cold
  • The Winning Proposal
  • Addressing the Opposition
  • The Persuasive Leader
Communicating on Television
Learn how to present an editorial, appear as a guest on an interview program, be the host of an interview program, conduct a press conference and use television to train.

  • Straight Talk
  • The Talk Show
  • When You’re the Host
  • The Press Conference
  • Training Television
Storytelling
This manual offers instruction in telling folk tales, personal stories, stories with morals, emotional stories and stories about historical events or people.

  • The Folk Tale
  • Let’s Get Personal
  • The Moral of the Story
  • The Touching Story
  • Bringing History to Life
Interpretive Reading
Projects include reading stories, poetry, monodramas, plays and famous speeches.

  • Read a Story
  • Interpreting Poetry
  • The Monodrama
  • The Play
  • The Oratorical Speech
Interpersonal Communication
Topics in this manual include conversing with ease, negotiating, handling criticism, coaching someone to improve performance and expressing dissatisfaction effectively.

  • Conversing with Ease
  • The Successful Negotiator
  • Diffusing Verbal Criticism
  • The Coach
  • Asserting Yourself Effectively
Special Occasion Speeches
This manual provides instruction in giving toasts, speaking in praise/giving a eulogy, “roasting” someone and presenting and accepting awards.

  • Mastering the Toast
  • Speaking in Praise
  • The Roast
  • Presenting an Award
  • Accepting Award
Humorously Speaking
Learn how to incorporate humor into every aspect of your speech.

  • Warm up Your Audience
  • Leave them with a Smile
  • Make them Laugh
  • Keep Them Laughing
  • Humorous Speech