Evaluator
After you have presented a few speeches, you will be asked to serve as an evaluator and will evaluate one of the prepared speeches. In addition to your oral evaluation, you will also give the speaker a written evaluation using the guide in the manual.
Evaluation is the quintessential toastmasters skill. It requires the ability to listen, think analytically, formulate feedback and write a 2 to 3 minute speech all within the space of a few minutes. To provide good feedback requires that you understand what makes a speech successful. The process of evaluating will force you to think about these things which will make you a better speaker as well as developing the skill of giving feedback in a constructive and supportive manner.
Evaluation requires careful preparation if the speaker is to benefit. Prior to the meeting talk with the speaker to find out the manual project he or she will be presenting. Review the goals of the speech and what the speaker hopes to achieve and which skills or techniques the speaker hopes to strengthen.
When you arrive at the meeting, find for the speaker and get his or her manual so you can study the project objectives and the evaluation guide in the manual proir to the beginning of the speech. Then during the speech record your impressions along with your answers to the evaluation questions.
When introduced, stand and give your oral evaluation. Begin and end your evaluation with a note of encouragement or praise. Though you may have written lengthy responses to manual evaluation questions, don’t read the questions or your responses. Your oral evaluation time is limited. Don’t try to cover too much in your talk – possibly one point on organization, one on delivery, and one on attainment of purpose with a statement about the greatest asset and a suggestion for future improvement. The club has an Evaluation worksheet that you can download from the website that you can use to aid you in preparing your oral evaluation.
Praise a successful speech and specifically tell why it was successful. Don’t allow the speaker to remain unaware of a valuable asset such as a smile, a sense of humour or a good voice. Don’t allow the speaker to remain ignorant of a serious fault or mannerism; if it is personal, write it but don’t mention iduring your evaluation. If the speaker uses a technique or some gestures that receive a good response from the audience, tell the speaker so he or she will be encouraged to do it again. Give the speaker deserved praise and tactful suggestions for improvement in the manner you would like to receive them when you are the speaker. Be as objective and supportive as possible and gauge your comments to the speaker’s skill level,and progress to date.
After the meeting, return the manual to the speaker and provide any additional information or encouragement to the speakerthat you didn't have time for during the oral evaluation.
Tips and Other Important Points
- Your oral evaluation should normally take between 2 to 3 minutes
(3 1/2 minutes ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM). - Until you are very familiar with evaluation techniques take a few minutes prior to the meeting to review the Effective Speech Evaluation manual which you received in your new member kit.
- You should focus the majority of your evaluation on the positive-what the speaker did well. Most people are far more critical of themselves than they should be. Positive feedback by the evaluator helps to balance this out and provides motivation to continue.
- Pick one or two areas for growth that are approprate based on the speaker's experience and give specific feedback as to how the speaker can improve next time. Do not give any more negative feedback than the speaker can reasonably work on as it only serves to demotivate.
- Remember that good evaluations may give new life to discouraged members and poor evaluations may dishearten members who tried their best.
- If the meeting is running overtime, limit your oral evaluation to under 2 minutes.
- Relax and have fun!