[MCake]

At times, I have this phobia too - especially in school. It's annoying, as I'm most definitely not shy, but I don't like being in the limelight either. I agree with Ian, I've realised that most people pay no attention whatsoever to whomever is speaking, lol.

Also, when I have to do a presentation, I've discovered that telling people outright that I'm not much of a speaker. So I just go up there, smile (this works wonders!), and say "I'm a bit nervous right now, so bear with me" This breaks the ice, and relieves most of my tension. Many people struggle with this issue too, and understand.

Practice seems to help as well. The easiest way to start practising, in a classroom setting, is to ask questions - start by raising your hand and blurting out the question. Most teachers love to ramble so just smile and nod your head as they answer. As your confidence grows, you'll probably be able to do this more smoothly.

Smiling is great: people usually react with interest and smile back. It sure beats blushing and stuttering, lol.

Hope this helps You're definitely not alone.