Undercover Work
This lesson centers on a real episode of Undercover Boss, where a DHL executive secretly works alongside a Brazilian courier who sends half his wage back home. Students learn practical vocabulary related to work, immigration, and undercover roles. After watching the video, they answer questions, complete a fill-in-the-blank summary, and talk about the delivery driver’s situation — including job pressure, freelance life, and supporting family abroad. The class also includes structured debates on whether it’s fair when hardworking employees don’t get permanent contracts, whether moving abroad for work is worth it, and whether parents should rely financially on their children. The lesson encourages honest opinions, empathy for immigrant workers, and deeper thinking about job security and fairness in modern workplaces.
Student's Version (Light/Dark)
Teacher's Version (Answer Keys)
Printable Classroom Version (A4)
| Level | Vocabulary | Video Length | Lesson Time |
| B1 / Intermediate | 12 words | 3:08 min | 60 min |
Vocabulary
- delivery driver / courier
- freelance / self-employed
- permanent member of staff
- rival
- to get the sack
- poverty-stricken
- to support (a family)
- wage
- pressure
- customer
- to manage
- target
Contents
- Lead-in
- Guess the job
- Vocabulary
- Video
- Questions
- Summary
- Comprehension
- Discussion
- Debate
- Homework
Teaching Guide
Lead-in, Guess the job
This intermediate conversation lesson is about undercover work. The lesson begins with simple warm-up questions to help students think about secret jobs. Students will learn the meaning of “undercover” and then look at short descriptions of people who work in secret. Their task is to guess each job. Some examples include a private detective, a mystery shopper, and an undercover journalist.
Vocabulary, Video, Questions
Next, there is a vocabulary section with 12 words and phrases from a video about an undercover boss who joins an employee for a day at work. Students will discuss the vocabulary and match words with their meanings. Then they will watch the video for general understanding. After watching, students will answer several comprehension questions.
Summary, Comprehension, Discussion
Next, there is a summary activity where students practice the vocabulary from the lesson. They will fill in the blanks with the missing words. There is also a comprehension task: if needed, students can watch the video again and fill in the missing numbers and facts. After that, students move on to a discussion section. They will talk about whether they think the man in the video is extraordinary and whether it is reasonable to move to another country to support family. Students will also discuss freelance jobs and give advice for immigrant workers like the delivery driver in the video.
Debate
Next, there is a debate activity. Students will read a statement and work in pairs or groups. Each slide gives clear instructions for the debate. Students will share their opinions, give reasons, and respond to each other. Debate topics include whether people should leave their country to find a good job, whether it is unfair that some workers don’t have a permanent job, and whether parents should depend on their children for money.
Homework
Finally, there is a homework task. Students will prepare a 2–3 minute story from the point of view of an employee who works in another country and sends money to their family. The slide provides helpful details to guide them. This task helps students reflect on the lesson topic and gives them extra speaking practice for the next class.
