Pathways
What is Pathways?
Pathways is the Toastmasters education system. It is designed to help you grow as a speaker and leader. You begin by logging onto Toastmasters International and completing an assessment. This assessment will give you a suggested Path for you to follow.
If you decide you want a different Path, you have thirty days to change your mind.
How is it designed?
There are ten Paths from which to choose. Each Path contains five levels. Each level contains a number of projects. An easy acronym to remember is P—L—P.
- Path
- Level
- Project
What does a project involve?
A project might be:
- A speech
- A number of speeches and an evaluation
- Completing a role as an evaluator, Table Topics Master or the meeting’s Toastmaster
- Creating a blog
- Creating a podcast
- Moderating a panel discussion
This is just a small sample. There are many electives from which to choose. You will also find that many of the electives are repeated across the Paths so you may encounter the same elective on a second Path if you don’t choose it the first time.
The links below (and branching off this tab) take you to each of the Paths. There are in-depth details about what each Path, level and project entails.
How long will it take me to complete a Path?
Each Path comprises of around twenty to twenty-five projects.
This might take around two years to complete a Path although Toastmasters is a self-paced program. It might take you longer. Alternatively, if you’re enthusiastic, you might be a member of more than one club and complete your Path in half that time.
What do I do after I complete my Path?
It depends on your own individual goals. Toastmasters is a big organisation with many opportunities. You may want to take on leadership roles in your own club or within your own Toastmasters District.
You may wish to work towards achieving Toastmasters Highest honour – the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. To receive this award, you need to:
- complete two Paths
- serve a term as a club officer
- serve a term as a district officer
- become a club mentor or club coach
- be a club sponsor, conduct a Speechcraft Course or Youth Leadership Program
What is in each Path?
Here are links that take you to a summary of each Path, Level and the Projects they contain:
Information source: https://toastmastersd17.org/resources/pathways/
Competent Communicator Manual
The Communicator Manual is being phased out to accommodate PATHWAYS. Older members who started on the CC manual will have two years to complete it from March 2018.
1. The Ice Breaker
Objectives:
- To begin speaking before an audience.
- To discover speaking skills you already have and skills that need some attention
- To introduce yourself to your fellow club members.
2. Organise Your Speech
Good speech organization is essential if your audience is to understand your presentation. You must take the time to put your ideas together in an orderly manner. You can organize your speech in several different ways; choose the outline that best suits your topic. The opening should catch the audience’s attention, the body must support the idea you want to convey, and the conclusion should reinforce your ideas and be memorable. Transitions between thoughts should be smooth.
Time: 5 – 7 minutes
Objectives:
- Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech.
- Make your message clear, with supporting material directly contributing to that message.
- Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another.
- Create a strong opening and conclusion.
3. Get to the Point
Objectives:
- Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes.
- Project sincerity and conviction and control any nervousness you may feel.
- Strive not to use notes.
4. How to Say It
Objectives:
- Select the right words and sentence structure to communicate your ideas clearly, accurately and vividly.
- Use rhetorical devices to enhance and emphasize ideas.
- Eliminate jargon and unnecessary words. Use correct grammar.
5. Your Body Speaks
Body language is an important part of speaking because it enhances your message and gives you more credibility. It also helps release any nervousness you may feel. Stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact help communicate your message and achieve your speech’s purpose. Body language should be smooth, natural, and convey the same message that your listeners hear.Read: Gestures: Your Body Speaks (Catalog #201), which you received in your New Member Kit.
Time: 5-7 minutes
Objectives:
- Use stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact to express tour message and achieve your speech’s purpose.
- Make your body language smooth and natural.
- Focus on methods of delivery, but do not overlook speech content.
6. Vocal Variety
Your voice has a major effect on your audience. A lively, excited voice attracts and keeps listeners’ attention. A speaking voice should be pleasant, natural, forceful, expressive, and easily heard. Use volume, pitch, rate, and quality as well as appropriate pauses to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message. Your voice should reflect the thoughts you are presenting.Review Your Speaking Voice (Catalog #199), which you received in your New Member Kit.
Time: 5-7 minutes
Objectives:
- Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes.
- Project sincerity and conviction and control any nervousness you may feel.
- Strive not to use notes.
7. Research Your Topic
Objectives:
- Collect information about your topic from numerous sources.
- Carefully support your points and opinions with specific facts, examples, and illustrations gathered through research.
8. Get comfortable with Visual Aids
Objectives:
- Select visual aids that are appropriate for your message and the audience.
- Use visual aids correctly with ease and confidence.
9. Persuade with Power
Objectives:
- Persuade listeners to adopt your viewpoint or ideas or to take some action.
- Appealing to the audience’s interests.
- Use logic and emotion to support your position.
- Avoid using notes.
10. Inspire Your Audience
An inspirational speech motivates an audience to improve personally, emotionally, professionally, or spiritually and relies heavily on emotional appeal. It brings the audience together in a mood of fellowship and shared desire, builds the audience’s enthusiasm, then proposes a change or plan and appeals to the audience to adopt this change or plan.This speech will last longer than your previous talks, so make arrangements in advance with your VP Education and meeting Toastmaster for extra time.
Time: 8-10 minutes
Objectives:
- To inspire the audience by appealing to noble motives and challenging the audience to achieve a higher level of beliefs or achievement.
- Appeal to the audience’s needs and emotions, using stories, anecdotes and quotes to add drama.
- Avoid using notes.
Information source: https://toastmastersd17.org/resource/competent-communicator-manual/