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Two teams on ‘The Apprentice’ try to persuade a department store to stock a range of products they have designed. The first team unsuccessfully pitch a range of hardware products, before the second team have better luck with their idea for a heat sensitive baby grow. They both then join Lord Sugar in the boardroom for the results.

This clip could be used as part of the planning and preparation for any speaking and listening activity involving making a pitch. Watch the clip with a pre-prepared grid which enables students to record what each team did well and what each team did less well. Discuss their suggestions then move the group on to agreeing a list of things for ‘A good pitch should…’ sheet. Students could also watch the clip in advance and identify individual speakers. Watch the clip all the way through once, then allocate one speaker to each student and watch again. This time students are looking specifically at the performance of their speaker and making notes so that they can feedback on how well they did and what they could have done differently. This advice can be completed as a written exercise or through role play with other students. Additionally, encourage students to debate whether or not the quality of the product being pitched has relevance to the outcome. What do they think would happen if the successful speakers pitched a difficult-selling item?