Undercover Work
This B1 lesson uses a powerful Undercover Boss video about Marcelo, a delivery driver who sends half his wages home to Brazil. Students learn work vocabulary like “freelance,” “permanent member of staff,” and “get the sack,” then discuss immigration, job security, and family responsibility. The activities include comprehension tasks, debates, and perspective-taking through storytelling.
Lesson overview
- Practice vocabulary related to employment types, job security, and workplace pressure
- Watch an emotional Undercover Boss segment about a self-employed courier supporting his family abroad
- Develop debate skills by arguing multiple perspectives on job fairness and family obligations
- Build empathy through role-play storytelling from an immigrant worker’s point of view
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
Start with the lead-in questions about difficult jobs and the concept of going undercover. Most B1 students know reality TV formats, so they can predict what might happen. The job-guessing activity on slide 3 adds fun before the vocabulary work begins.
The vocabulary section covers employment terms that appear throughout the video. Make sure students understand the difference between “freelance” and “permanent member of staff” since this distinction drives the whole story. Marcelo has no job security, which creates constant pressure.
The video runs just over three minutes and tells a moving story. Marcelo delivers parcels in the UK while sending half his salary to his poverty-stricken family in Brazil. He works as a self-employed courier with no contract, meaning one mistake could cost him everything. Play the video once for general comprehension, then again for the number-fill activity on slide 9. Students catch details like “one parcel every two minutes” and “50 percent of wages sent home.”
The discussion questions let students react to Marcelo’s character and choices. Question 4 about freelance benefits versus permanent staff rights connects to broader labor debates. The three debate activities build complexity. First, students argue whether people should have to leave their countries for work. Second, they switch sides on whether Marcelo deserves a stable job. Third, they discuss family financial obligations. B1 learners can handle these nuanced arguments with proper setup.
For homework, students write from an immigrant worker’s perspective. This empathy exercise uses the new vocabulary naturally while practicing narrative skills.
