Evaluator

Taking on this role improves active listening, critical thinking, and positive feedback skills. Evaluation is the heart of the Toastmasters educational program.

Contact Presenter

  • Before the meeting, contact the Presenter for the following:
    • The Pathways evaluation form
    • Anything specific they would like you to focus on
  • You can practice by watching presentations of the same type and recording yourself either on your phone or webcam for 2-3 minutes:

Evaluate Presentation

  • During the meeting, your role is to write a report that evaluates the presentation according to the Pathways project:
    • Open with 2-3 strong points.
    • Offer 1-2 opportunities for improvement.
    • Close with another 1-2 strong points.
  • Remember: You are evaluating the presentation, not the Presenter.
  • Be highly specific with all feedback as follows:
    • If something is very strong, directly quote it and/or imitate it.
    • If something has a significant opportunity for improvement, offer specific options for improving it.
  • Check out Alondra Sánchez’s presentation on how to be a good Evaluator:

Give Evaluation

  • At the end of the meeting, the Toastmaster calls on you to give your evaluation in 2-3 minutes:
    • There will be nowhere near enough time for your entire report. Just give the highlights!
    • Be sure to incorporate both the Toastmaster’s Theme and the Grammarian/Ah-Counter’s Word of the Day.
    • Addressing the Presenter in second person (“you”) or by their preferred gender pronouns in third person (“they”/“she”/“he”) are both totally okay. Some clubs stress doing one or the other, but Tragicomedy Toastmasters believes you can oscillate between the former and the latter as appropriate to make a point to the Presenter or to the audience, respectively.
    • Focus on the presentation’s strongest points and opportunities for improvement.
  • Above all, because Toastmasters is laser-focused on positive reinforcement, be sure to use the sandwich method whenever you give feedback by layering all constructive remarks with positive ones.