Members of the SIM Lab recently published Training Actors: A Primer for Social Work Educators Working with Standardized Clients (SCs) in Classroom Simulations.
This article offers social work educators a practical look at how standardized clients can be prepared for simulation-based teaching. It invites readers into the actor training process — including working through case vignettes, practicing mock simulations, and learning how to manage emotional intensity and provide feedback from the client’s perspective.
Drawing on the authors’ simulation programs, the paper outlines steps that can support consistent, ethical, and effective use of actors in social work classrooms.
This article was published in Studies in Clinical Social Work: Transforming Practice, Education and Research as part of the special edition, “Simulation in Clinical Social Work: Evolving with the Times”. The special edition is a great place for lots of fabulous simulation resources.