EVALUATION FORM

Managing a Difficult Audience

Member Name Date

Evaluator Speech Length: 10 – 15 minutes

Speech Title

Purpose Statement
The purpose of this project is for the member to practice the skills needed to address audience challenges when
he or she presents outside of the Toastmasters club.

Notes for the Evaluator

During the completion of this project, the member spent time learning how to manage difficult audience
members during a presentation.

About this speech:

■■ The member will deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech on any topic and practice responding to four audience
member disruptions. The speech may be new or previously presented. You do not evaluate the speech or
speech content.
■■ Your evaluation is based on the member’s ability to address and defuse challenges presented by the audience.
Audience members were assigned roles by the Toastmaster and/or vice president education prior to the
meeting.
■■ Watch for professional behavior, respectful interactions with audience members, and the use of strategies to
refocus the audience on the member’s speech.
■■ The member has 10 to 15 minutes to deliver his or her 5- to 7-minute speech and respond to disrupters.

General Comments
You excelled at:

You may want to work on:

To challenge yourself:

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 EVALUATION FORM – Managing a Difficult Audience

For the evaluator: In addition to your verbal evaluation, please complete this form.

5 4 3 2 1
EXEMPLARY EXCELS ACCOMPLISHED EMERGING DEVELOPING

Clarity: Spoken language is clear and is easily understood Comment:

5 4 3 2 1

Vocal Variety: Uses tone, speed, and volume as tools Comment:

5 4 3 2 1

Eye Contact: Effectively uses eye contact to engage audience Comment:

5 4 3 2 1

Gestures: Uses physical gestures effectively Comment:

5 4 3 2 1

Audience Awareness: Demonstrates awareness of audience engagement Comment:

and needs

5 4 3 2 1

Comfort Level: Appears comfortable with the audience Comment:

5 4 3 2 1

Interest: Engages audience with interesting, well-constructed content Comment:

5 4 3 2 1

Effective Management: Demonstrates skill at engaging difficult audience Comment:

members

5 4 3 2 1

Professionalism: Remains professional regardless of difficult audience Comment:

members

5 4 3 2 1

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 EVALUATION CRITERIA
Managing a Difficult Audience

This criteria lists the specific goals and expectations for the speech. Please review each level to help you complete
the evaluation.

Clarity Comfort Level

5 – Is an exemplary public speaker who is always 5 – Appears completely self-assured with the audience
understood 4 – Appears fully at ease with the audience
4 – Excels at communicating using the spoken word 3 – Appears comfortable with the audience
3 – Spoken language is clear and is easily understood 2 – Appears uncomfortable with the audience
2 – Spoken language is somewhat unclear or 1 – Appears highly uncomfortable with the audience
challenging to understand
1 – Spoken language is unclear or not easily understood Interest
5 – Fully engages audience with exemplary, well-
Vocal Variety constructed content
5 – Uses the tools of tone, speed, and volume 4 – Engages audience with highly compelling, well-
to perfection constructed content
4 – Excels at using tone, speed, and volume as tools 3 – Engages audience with interesting, well-
3 – Uses tone, speed, and volume as tools constructed content
2 – Use of tone, speed, and volume requires 2 – Content is interesting but not well-constructed
further practice or is well-constructed but not interesting
1 – Ineffective use of tone, speed, and volume 1 – Content is neither interesting nor well-constructed
Eye Contact Effective Management
5 – Uses eye contact to convey emotion and 5 – Manages difficult audience members with
elicit response exemplary skill
4 – Uses eye contact to gauge audience reaction 4 – Sets an excellent example of how to manage
and response difficult audience members
3 – Effectively uses eye contact to engage audience 3 – Demonstrates skill at engaging difficult audience
2 – Eye contact with audience needs improvement members
1 – Makes little or no eye contact with audience 2 – Shows some skill at engaging difficult audience
members, but has difficulty with one type of
Gestures interruption
5 – Fully integrates physical gestures with content to 1 – Struggles to address difficult audience members
deliver an exemplary speech or loses engagement of audience while
4 – Uses physical gestures as a tool to enhance speech managing a difficult audience member
3 – Uses physical gestures effectively Professionalism
2 – Uses somewhat distracting or limited gestures 5 – Sets an exemplary example of professional
1 – Uses very distracting gestures or no gestures behavior regardless of difficult audience
members
Audience Awareness
4 – Maintains a highly professional response
5 – Engages audience completely and anticipates regardless of difficult audience members
audience needs
3 – Remains professional regardless of difficult
4 – Is fully aware of audience engagement/needs audience members
and responds effectively
2 – Remains professional when responding to most
3 – Demonstrates awareness of audience difficult audience members, but shows some
engagement and needs obvious discomfort or reactive responses
2 – Audience engagement or awareness of audience 1 – Is not able to maintain professionalism when
requires further practice responding to difficult audience members
1 – Makes little or no attempt to engage audience or
meet audience needs

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used only with permission. Rev. 11/2016 Item 8409E