Pathways Paths and Projects
Engaging Humor
This path is designed to help you build your skills as a humorous and engaging public speaker. The projects on this path focus on understanding your sense of humor and how that sense of humor translates to engaging audience members. The projects contribute to developing an understanding of how to effectively use humor in a speech, including challenging situations and impromptu speeches. This path culminates in an extended humorous speech that will allow you to apply what you learned.*Not available in printed materials.
Level 1: Mastering Fundamentals
LEVEL 1 PROJECTS (Required)
Level 2: Learning Your Style
LEVEL 2 PROJECTS (Required)
Level 3: Increasing Knowledge
LEVEL 3 MEETING ROLES (Required)
This project focuses on using humor to enhance the message you deliver in your speech.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to determine your style of humor and apply it to a speech that centers around a central message.
Overview: Give a 5- to 7-minute speech on your point of view and what makes things funny to you. Your speech should include at least one anecdote or story intended to entertain or bring humor into your presentation.
This project includes:
- A 5- to 7-minute speech
LEVEL 3 PROJECTS (Required)
Level 4: Building Skills
LEVEL 4 MEETING ROLES (Required)
This project focuses on strategies for adding humour to any speech, especially impromptu speeches.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is for you to develop your method for giving impromptu speeches and practice adapting rehearsed stories during a presentation.
Overview: You will deliver two 2- to 3-minute speeches. When you are ready to begin the first of your speeches, the Toastmaster of the Day will select a topic from the Impromptu Speech Topics resource. Your speech must last 2 to 3 minutes and include at least one anecdote that is related to the topic. When the first speech is complete, give a second 2- to 3-minute speech on a new topic. Both topics should be selected at random and without your prior knowledge.
This project includes:
- The Impromptu Speech Topics resource
- Two 2- to 3-minute impromptu speeches