Editors’ note: An important part of a health professional's role in a patient‐centred approach is to help patients and clients understand their health, illnesses and long‐term conditions in order to participate actively in their own care. To be an effective educator requires learning and practising a specific set of communication skills. Health professionals need to be able to assess the health literacy of their patients and to tailor the discussion of information to the appropriate level. The authors of this toolbox article have significant experience in facilitating health professional students’ learning to educate. They describe three components of effective patient education and how skills may be developed through experiential learning with simulated patients. These components are: assessment of the educational needs of the patient; delivery of education tailored for each patient; and evaluation of patient learning. Challenges in this area of practice and strategies to overcome these challenges are discussed, including adequate preparation for simulated patients and ensuring the authenticity of their roles, as well as how to ensure that all students are engaged in learning.