An educational series for teenagers combining dramatised scenarios with expert analysis to tackle issues of science and social studies.
A schools programme designed for viewers aged fourteen and over, this serial used short, dramatised vignettes to illustrate social and scientific concepts. Narrated by Peter Shoesmith, the episodes presented recognisable situations from teenage life, featuring characters such as Jerry (Malcolm Tierney), Joyce (Amber Kammer), and their circle of friends. Other segments focused on family dynamics with characters like Mr Jackson (Donald Pelmear). These fictional scenes served as case studies for topics including child development, family structure, the psychology of work, and the function of law and order. Each drama was followed by a direct address from an expert, such as a psychologist or sociologist, who provided a formal breakdown of the issues raised.
Approach to Living was a textbook example of the pedagogical method employed by schools television in the 1960s. The production used drama not for its own sake, but as a carefully constructed educational tool. Its purpose was to make abstract academic ideas immediate and relatable to a teenage audience. By presenting a problem through a recognisable human situation, the programme provided a practical anchor for the theoretical analysis that followed. This structure, moving from a specific scenario to a general explanation, was a direct attempt to bridge the gap between classroom theory and the lived experience of its young viewers.
Broadcast: Associated Rediffusion, Mondays, 18 September 1967 – 25 March 1968
Written by: Gordon Bowker, Kenneth Rudge
Directors: Robert Stead, Richard Gilbert
Narrator: Peter Shoesmith
Main Cast: Malcolm Tierney (Jerry), Amber Kammer (Joyce), Bruce Myles (Bernie), Judy Wilson (Sally), Donald Pelmear (Mr Jackson), Patti Brooks (Mrs Jackson), Richard Davies (Mr Cotterell), Rosalie Westwater (Mrs Cotterell)
