How to Prepare Questions Around Themes for Table Topics in Toastmasters

Toastmasters International boasts 260,000 members in more than 12,500 clubs around the globe.

Toastmasters International has been helping people improve their public speaking and communications skills for nearly 100 years. Since its inception, more than 4 million people have joined Toastmaster clubs around the world. Through Toastmasters, people from all walks of life practice speaking and asking questions in small group environments. Developing questions for Toastmaster Table Topics is an important part of communications training. With a few simple tips, you can develop questions that will improve your skills and help others to learn the basic principles of public speaking.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• pen and paper or computer print out of questions

1. Thoroughly research the topic through your local library, newspapers, interviews and the Internet.

2. Develop questions that look at the impact of the speaker's topic. Impacts can include financial, personal, government and business issues.

3. Write your questions in a clear and concise manner. Practice asking your questions in advance.

Tips & Warnings

• Develop questions that focus on the topic.

• Do not ask obvious questions. These will not help the speaker prepare for public speaking.

• Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions.

• Avoid uninformed questions which waste the group's time. Do your research and ask informed questions.

References

• Toastmasters International Online: About Toastmasters; 2011
• Toastmasters International Online; Table Topics; 2011