Try a collaboration. Many speech teachers require students to prepare their first presentation within the first few class sessions. This is the student's introduction speech. Collaboration is a technique that can reduce the students' anxiety and strengthen speech quality. Assign three students to a group. Each student in the group will give his prepared speech to his group of three. The other two students in the group help with revisions and ideas to improve the speech.
Team up with the media club and get them involved in making YouTube videos for your speech class. Ask students to produce a one- to three-minute presentation describing the speech course. Ask them to use persuasive speaking techniques to attract other students to the class. This gives the students practice with persuasive speaking without having to stand up in front of the class. The videos can also be used on a web page or to show students who enroll in the class in later semesters.
Get them up there. One way to get students up in front of the group without having to worry about what they have written or memorized is an "alphabet speech." Explain to the class that they will be giving a presentation. However, after they introduce themselves, they will simply recite the alphabet in a speechlike pattern. Ask the students to focus on looking at their audience, making gestures when appropriate and utilizing their space.
This is an exercise designed to help students face their fear of public speaking. On one of the first days of class, write a question on the board or ask the class, "What do you think of public speaking?" Go around the room and let students respond. This will usually result in the students' sharing their fears of speaking in front of the class. Knowing that other students share their fear of public speaking will help them to overcome it.