Theories on Public Speaking

While reading Ong and his thoughts on the shift from oral to print based culture and the effect that this has had on our schooling shifting from a speech based program to a written one, I became curious as to whether or not such a shift would have on the people who were learning in such a way. In other words, could the shift from speaking to writing as the main form of learning be the reason that so many people are now afraid to speak publicly? Was Plato ever as nervous as I am when I get up to make a speach in front of class?

Most of my fear comes from a sense that others will know that I have messed up. Yet they cannot. As Ong says correction is simply a part of the written culture. If one is good enough, we cannot know that they have messed up at all when they are speaking. So why then do I feel this fear? Am I so pervaded by the literate culture that I cannot break away from the mold even when I am speaking to others? I should hope not, but it is interesting to wonder if the use of writing as the primary learning tool has in any way affected how most people in today's world view public speaking with so much fear.