STIC - Engineering:
Licensing (Module 1)
 PEO Application Form (Topic 2)
Content
In order to effectively deliver this workshop on the PEO licensing application
form (excluding the Experience Record, which is covered in the next lesson),
the facilitator should be familiar with the following:
- PEO Licensing Guide and Application for Licence booklet,
which includes the PEO application form. This is available as a PDF
document on the PEO Web site: www.peo.on.ca.
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) descriptions
of engineering disciplines (mechanical, chemical, electrical/electronic
and industrial). These can be downloaded from the NOC Web site: www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/generic
/welcome.shtml.
- Access to the Engineering Profession in Ontario. This
occupational fact sheet is available on the Gateway to Diversity
Web site: www.equalopportunity.on.ca.
It is important that the facilitator review this material prior to the
lesson, and especially that the facilitator be familiar with the answers
to the comprehension questions in Handout 2.
As with all the lessons on licensing, facilitators should be sure to
use the most up-to-date information available.
Delivery
The terminology in this lesson will be practised within a functional
language context: making suggestions. Participants will use PEO-specific
and general licensing terminology to give advice to colleagues about
licensing procedures. Therefore, review of language used to make suggestions
is advisable.
As many copies as necessary should be made of the following handouts
 :
- Handout 1 How to complete the Application for License
- Handout 2 Comprehension Check
- Handout 3 Terminology Activity
- Handout 4 Engineering Designations and Disciplines
- Pre-prepared PEO application form with "mistakes" (four pages)
- PEO Application Form - downloaded from PEO website
- Terminology List (optional)
In preparation for this session, the facilitator needs to download the
PEO Licensing Guide and Application for Licence from the PEO Web site
and make sufficient copies of two sections of the guide: How
to Complete the Application for Licence and Application
for Licence. While some of this information is provided as
part of this manual, working from the original document is advised.
In preparation for Pre-Task #3, the facilitator needs to prepare a PEO
application form (and make sufficient copies for the class) as though
it had been prepared by an applicant who has made some mistakes in completing
the form. While a completed form has been "scanned" into
this lesson it is highly recommended that you prepare an original from
the PEO application form to ensure the quality of photocopying.
Examples of mistakes might include:
- the applicant writes in an area marked "PEO Use Only"
- the applicant ticks off two boxes in the section marked "Status
in Canada " instead of only one
- the applicant does not include his area code in the
section for phone number
- any other mistakes or omissions the facilitator thinks
are appropriate for the pre-task
An overhead
transparency of the incorrectly filled out application form could be
used to take up this activity.
Cut out the cue cards from the Cue Card Page to be used in the Introduction
activity.
Prepare the following list of "softeners" on a sheet of chart paper
to use for Pre-task 3.
- I was wondering if you'd ever thought of . . .
- I think it might be a good idea to . . .
- Have you ever thought of . . .
- You might consider . . .
- You could always . . .
- If I were you, I'd . . .
Material needed: access to an OHP; whiteboard or black board.
If possible, bring the PEO application package for distribution to the
whole class or use it in order to deliver the workshop and eliminate
Handouts 1 and 5. Methodology
Introduction
(20 minutes)
1. As
a review of some PEO terms and engineering acronyms, distribute one card
(either a word/acronym or a definition) from the Cue Card Page to each
participant. Explain that participants have to circulate and form pairs
so that the cards of each pair consist of a word or acronym plus a definition.
Review and check for understanding. Have participants work in the same
pairs for the first pre-task activity.
2. Elicit what types of application participants have
recently completed (e.g., employment, Health Card, driver's license, etc.).
Ask what difficulties participants have had with application forms in
Canada.
3. Ask if anyone has completed a PEO application form.
Pre-Tasks
1. (30 minutes)
Explain that the PEO application form
comes with a set of instructions. Distribute How to Complete
the Application for Licence (either downloaded from the PEO
Web site or Handout 1). Have participants read the instructions. In
order to ensure comprehension, have participants answer the comprehension
questions (Handout 2) and compare their answers in pairs. Take up the
questions with the whole class. 2. (20 minutes)
Distribute Handout 3 (Terminology Activity)
and have participants match the terms with their definitions and then
fill in the gaps. Participants should compare answers with each other.
Note any difficulties and take them up with the whole class.
3. (30 minutes)
Explain to the class that you have
an application form that has been filled out by an engineer, but that
the engineer needs some advice because he has not understood the instructions
very well. Elicit expressions for giving suggestions, noting that context
is very important, and write them on the board or OHP. Use an OHP or
board to give the following lesson on modals and qualifiers. Ensure
that participants make notes for themselves, as there are no handouts.
Encourage participants by telling them that note-taking is an important
skill. Explain that giving advice is always difficult to do tactfully. Many
people resent getting advice, and even when they ask for it, they may
be simply seeking approval.
Explain that the modal or auxiliary verbs should and ought
to are commonly used to give advice; however, they are quite strong
when used without qualifying phrases:
- You should ask for some advice when filling out the
PEO application form.
- You ought to talk to an engineer who works at an aerospace
company.
An opening phrase and a tentative tone of voice can make such suggestions more
polite:
- I think you should.
- It seems to me that you could.
Modal verbs such as might and may can further soften
a suggestion:
- Attending language class might be a good idea. (Compare:
You should attend a language class.)
Using a rising intonation makes a suggestion more like a question:
- Perhaps you might want to have someone look over your
application?
Clarifying the pros and cons of a problem is also a tactful way of giving
advice:
- One advantage of becoming licensed is that you'll have
better opportunities for employment; at the same time, it might be
too expensive right now.
On the other hand, to make a suggestion more forceful, the speaker may
begin with a phrase that indicates conviction:
- I believe this would be the better road to take.
The most forceful way to state an opinion or give advice is to express
it bluntly, without qualifiers:
- This is a serious problem and you must do something
about it immediately.
Explain that sentence-level intonation is often used to modify a suggestion
or piece of advice. For instance, tentative suggestions can be emphasized
with a slow, rising intonation at the end of statements and/or added
word stress on modals such as might or could. On the other hand, a strong
opinion or conviction is often marked by strong, falling intonation contours,
especially at the end of each sentence.
Refer participants' attention to the chart with these "softeners" as
well:
- I was wondering if you'd ever thought of...
- I think it might be a good idea to...
- Have you ever thought of...
- You might consider...
- Don't you think it might be a good idea to . . .
- You could always... If I were you, I'd...
4. (30 minutes)
Distribute the application form you
have prepared containing errors and omissions. Have participants work
in pairs to find the errors and give advice on how they would improve/correct
it. Initiate a class discussion about the application form and encourage
the use of functional language for advising and suggesting. Task
1. (30 minutes)
Distribute a PEO application form (downloaded
from the PEO Web site) to each participant and ask participants to
complete their form. 2. (20 minutes)
Pair participants according to their
discipline and have them exchange their application forms and give
each other advice/suggestions on how to improve it. Post-Task
1. (25
minutes)
Refer participants' attention back to the PEO
application form and the academic background section. Ensure that
all participants know their discipline. Explain that within disciplines,
there are designations. For example, an acoustics engineer (a designation)
is a kind of mechanical engineer (a discipline). Distribute Handout
4 and ask participants to complete it. Have the participants compare
their answer with a partner. Take up with the whole class. Adapted from: Engkent,
P.L., Bardy, K.P. Take Part: Speaking Canadian English. Scarborough:
Prentice Hall, 1986.  Downloads
All downloads are in Adobe Acrobat
PDF.
Download a print version of the above lesson plan and related
materials.
Licensing:
Topic 2 [1.3 MB, 24 pages]
Download the complete Facilitator's Guide and Participant's Workbook.
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