Special Meeting: Education Series – Presentation and Table Topics Contestant Practice | February 7, 2026

Participants at our February 7 meeting

On February 7, our Toastmasters club held a special meeting, titled “Better Speaker Series; Presentation and Table Topics Contestant Practice.” It aimed at our skill up in presentation and Table Topics speech, and especially for two Table Topics contestants.

Prepared Speech Session

This session opened with a presentation by Hiko, whose title “Knock Out Impromptu Speaking” had a playful atmosphere. The presentation, however, was based on the serious research, so the visual aid greatly helped the audience to better understand it. We look forward to members’ knocking-out speeches.

The second speaker was Ten Ten, who presented on “Your Body Speaks.” He said, “Your body speaks far louder than your words, therefore your speech can be improved by the repetition of training and your body language becomes natural. You’ll get the freedom to speak naturally.” This may come from his hands-on practice. His presentation had a profound meaning.

Table Topics Session

Sora’s choice of topic, "The Olympic Games or winter sports," was timely. Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games began on February 6, 2026. She gave her own comment to each speech and enriched this session.

Evaluation Session

The two evaluators, Rene and Kazu, greatly attracted our attention in their comments including suggestions. How to project the speaker himself with the visual aid and what is the good priority to beginners. These suggestions benefited us, too.

Table Topics Contestant-Practice and Feedback Session

Given topics, the two contestants (one is in English and the other in Japanese) delivered impromptu speeches twice. To each speech, other members gave feedback speeches. In a tense atmosphere, this pattern was very fruitful and beneficial to both the contestants and the members giving feedback. A chance like this is rare but desirable for all the members.

As a general evaluator, I report that the special meeting ended meaningfully, thanks to the great control of the Toastmaster of the Day, Marylin and all the other members’ dedication.
(Tami)

Education Series Special Meeting : "Successful Club Series" － January 31, 2026

Spotlight on Marylin's Speech: What will improve your skills

The January 31 Serni Toastmasters meeting featured three strong Prepared Speeches, but the one that left the deepest impression was Marylin's What will improve your skills. Her message stood out because it reframed something familiar —Toastmasters roles—as a powerful engine for personal growth.

Marylin explained that every role in a meeting carries a specific learning purpose. The Toastmaster of the Day builds facilitation and leadership. The Evaluator sharpens analytical thinking and constructive communication. The Timer and Grammarian strengthen observation, precision, and awareness. Rather than seeing roles as routine assignments, she encouraged members to view them as structured training modules designed to develop different skill sets.

What made her speech compelling was the clarity with which she connected these roles to real-world improvement. She emphasized that growth does not come only from delivering speeches. It comes from participating fully in the ecosystem of the club, observing others, supporting the meeting, and reflecting on what each role teaches. Her examples illustrated how even small responsibilities can lead to meaningful progress when approached with intention.

Her delivery was calm, thoughtful, and grounded in experience. The audience was reminded that Toastmasters is not just a place to speak, but a place to practice leadership, listening, and collaboration in a safe and supportive environment. By the end of her speech, members were inspired to take on roles more actively and to appreciate the hidden learning opportunities embedded in every meeting.

Marylin's message set the tone for the rest of the session, offering a foundation of “learning through participation” that resonated throughout the meeting.

(by Mune)

Club International Speech Competition (The 210th Regular Meeting): January 17, 2026

We held our Club Speech Competition again this year. The meeting began with an “Induction Ceremony.” Our new member, Shunya, joined us just as the new year began. A university student, he is now the youngest member of our club. We recited our Club’s Pledge, welcoming both the fresh member and the new year’s start.

 After the ceremony, we moved on to the Senri Toastmasters Club Speech Competition, featuring both English and Japanese speeches.

Each speech made us laugh, surprised us, and had us nodding deeply in agreement. According the characters in their stories, their vocal tones shifted dramatically, and the directions of their faces were swiftly changed—almost like watching a performance of “Rakugo,” full of humor and heartfelt moments. I deeply regret that I can’t clear their details because they were conducted as part of the official Toastmasters International Speech Contest.

Following the Award Ceremony, we held the Evaluation Session for the one competitor whose speech was delivered as part of Toastmasters International Pathways project.

As the Competition Chair, I want to express my sincere gratitude. This event would not have been possible without our teamwork.

Thank you to all officers for your cooperation—our Timers for their precise time management, our Ballots Counters for their smooth coordination, and our dedicated anonymous judges, including those who joined us from other clubs.

(Hiko)