About Brinker Toastmasters

Brinker Toastmasters is a member of Toastmasters International, the world’s largest nonprofit educational organization dedicated to helping men and women become more effective listeners, leaders, and speakers. We have been active in Vienna, Virginia, since 1998. Please use the links on this page to learn more about us and local Toastmasters organizations.

We meet at Navy Federal Credit Union, 820 Follin Lane, in Vienna, VA on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. (For exact directions to our meeting room see We’re Moving Again.) Our meetings begin at 9:30 am and end around 11:00 am. Guests are always welcome.

Take a look at this video to see how Toastmasters works; then use the form below to contact us to ask for more information about our club.

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Words for the Eclipse

crepuscule

umbra

tenebrous

caliginous

Vocabulary thrives in darkness. https://t.co/YlOgqfUAMX

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) August 21, 2017

Well, they’re good for other times, too.

Speaking Lessons from Podcast Hosts

I was tempted to let the post Let Your Favorite Podcast Hosts Fix Your Public Speaking Problems go unmentioned, especially when I read the tag line “Podcast hosts from NPR, WNYC Studios, and more explain why they let themselves say “like” and “um” as much as they want.”  The podcast hosts included are Guy Raz, Lindsey Weber, Bobby Finger, Glynn Washington, and, best of all, Manoush Zomorodi. She’s the host at Note to Self,  one of the podcasts I try to listen to regularly. Her talk at this year’s TED conference was just posted yesterday and I found it really refreshing. See what she has to say in the article, then see how you think she does in her talk.

Convention App Available

The #TICon17 is almost here! Download the #Toastmasters Events App https://t.co/HZQPyCyOxP #PublicSpeaking #Vancouver #MobileApp pic.twitter.com/kdK22yNcP0

— Toastmasters (@Toastmasters) August 15, 2017

Available for iOS and Android. Last year’s app was useful for following conversations at the convention.

The Power of Speech

Quote of the Day from Creative Mornings. This reminds me of the attention-getting opener in a Nancy Duarte presentation.

Preview, Part Two

Podcast (part 2) featuring presenters from the upcoming Toastmasters International Convention #TIConv17 https://t.co/2GI3gCJtJd

— Toastmasters D58 (@ToastmastersD58) August 8, 2017

How Presentations are Changing

Presentation Design Trends You Need to Consider Now https://t.co/mupZYCo6F6

— Presentation Guild (@presentguild) August 5, 2017

Are you getting ready?

Here’s a school that starts ’em young

Presentation Guild led me to a brief article about School 21 in London.

“We need to elevate speaking to the same level as reading and writing.” https://t.co/VaLltwKxl8

— Presentation Guild (@presentguild) August 2, 2017

What do you think your speaking skills would be like if your primary school streesed oracy development? Do you you think schools in this country spend enough time developing speaking skills?