I founded 'JNU Toastmasters (hereafter ‘J Toma’)' in 2008 and have been a member and mentor for 15 years since then. During the period, I have experienced a very unique form of learning. ‘J Toma’ is an English-medium learning community that provides equal opportunities to directly experience communication skills and leadership abilities. Participants can personally and collectively validate their growth in individual and group dimensions. On a personal level, I've confirmed the qualitative improvement in my listening and speaking skills through experiential learning. On a group level, I've observed the power of conversation among participants, which enables them to verify their growth potential directly with their peers' feedback.
    ‘J Toma’ is one of the Korean clubs belonging to the non-profit educational organization 'Toastmasters International', which has an international network. The purpose of Toastmasters International is to foster communication and leadership skills. Founded in 1924 in Santa Ana, California, USA, it has a century-long history. As of 2023, Toastmasters International has 14,700 clubs in 144 countries with over 280,000 members, constituting a very special learning community where members regularly gather to cultivate their skills. In Korea, there are 59 chartered clubs in major cities, with 2 in Gwangju and 1 in Naju.
   For the past 15 years, ‘J Toma’ has been conducting a weekly 90-minute session every Tuesday in English. Even during the COVID-19 period, the meeting continued online. Attendees of the meeting have the opportunity to take on various roles for a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 7 minutes, such as presiding officer, toastmaster, word master, whatever master, speaker, evaluator, timer, and listener. I've been participating in the meeting weekly, and I've identified three special learning values through ‘J Toma’ activities.
   Firstly, ‘J Toma’ serves a space where new connections are constantly formed. The meeting is attended by students, citizens, and foreigners who voluntarily participate, and participants not only engage in regular meeting activities but also share their interests through socializing after the meetings in a so called second round. Because of this process, strong bonds are formed regardless of gender, age, race, or nationality. Secondly, there's a sense of vitality. The meeting has a special power that keeps the atmosphere lively from start to finish, infusing participants' lives with energy. Perhaps the reason lies in the clear purpose of learning in these gatherings and the opportunity for mutual growth through feedback. Thirdly, there's transformation. This change is notably evident in members who have been active for at least 6 months. For instance, through peer feedback, members demonstrate qualitative changes in their communication skills, especially in public speaking. Additionally, members of the leadership team exhibit excellent leadership skills as they guide the organization and operations of the meetings. Members active for over a year are demonstrating their potential to the fullest in their chosen fields.
    As the founder, mentor, and member of ‘J Toma,’ I've confirmed the value and effects of learning within the community. The primary reason for this is the clear motivation of participants to learn in these gatherings. Strong learning motivation is derived from conversations and feedback among participants, enabling them to recognize their strengths and work on their weaknesses. Especially, the diverse experiences, knowledge, and abilities demonstrated by those more advanced than oneself act as significant sources of inspiration for setting one's own learning direction and methods. Personally, I'm experiencing my own transformation through J Toma’s group learning. I hope that more people will join ‘J Toma’ to directly experience the unique value and effects of this special form of learning.

By Yeom Min-ho, Professor, Department of Education