Reality Language®: Building Connections Through Workplace Language

On a busy manufacturing floor, clear instructions can mean the difference between a good day and a safety incident. In a clinic, a few well-chosen words can put a nervous patient at ease. Across Indiana, employers and communities are discovering that language is more than a communication tool. It is a bridge that connects people, builds trust, and strengthens talent pipelines.

That idea is at the heart of Reality Language®; a workforce development program the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) is excited to offer to organizations throughout the state.

A Program Built for the Workplace

Reality Language® (RL) was created by Gaye R. Jenkins, Ed.D., as a context-based, communicative language system for beginning adult learners. Rather than teaching general conversation, RL focuses on the Spanish or English people actually need to do their jobs and connect with the people around them.

In 2025, PCRD secured an exclusive license to offer RL in Indiana. PCRD’s Dr. Melinda Grismer serves as the program’s Master Trainer, guiding instructors and helping organizations bring RL to their teams.

A key part of the RL model is training local instructors. Prospective instructors complete a two-day Train-the-Trainer workshop, then receive ongoing mentoring from a Master Trainer as they begin teaching. PCRD can also approve other Indiana organizations to use the program through formal agreements, helping RL grow local capacity, and reach more communities and industries over time.

The program runs on two parallel tracks. Reality Spanish helps English-speaking supervisors, staff, and professionals communicate with Spanish-speaking colleagues and customers. Reality English helps workers who are English Language Learners (ELLs) build the skills they need on the job. Together, the tracks help both sides speak directly to one another, building understanding and teamwork.

Learning by Doing

RL is taught through a method called COLA®, or Context-based Optimized Language Acquisition. It draws on the Natural Approach to language acquisition, Total Physical Response, and TPR Storytelling, and it emphasizes speaking and listening first, with reading and writing following.

In practice, that means classes look very different from a traditional high school language class. Learners use gestures to learn new vocabulary, follow short stories acted out step by step, draw what they hear, and retell stories to partners. Dialogs and skits give them a chance to practice real situations. Grammar is absorbed naturally through stories rather than memorized from charts. The result is a lively, participatory class where adult learners are moving, talking, and laughing together.

Each RL course is organized into six modules covering practical topics such as greetings, numbers, time and dates, locations, descriptions, health, food, and workplace safety. Every module also includes the opportunity to customize the vocabulary set being taught to the specific industry hosting the training.

Industry-specific versions help classes connect to learners’ daily work. Reality Spanish is available in customized versions, including for All, Teachers, Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Manufacturing & Production, and Banking & Service Industry. Reality English is available in customized versions, including for , Manufacturing & Production, Banking & Service Industry and Construction. Reality Spanish/English for All is a “general basic” Spanish course that serves as an introduction to the Spanish/English language for adult beginners or those who are seeking a refresher course. Classes meet once a week for 2.5 hours, and organizations can customize the program to their own workplaces.

Why It Matters for Regional Development

Strong regions depend on strong workplaces, and strong workplaces depend on people who can understand one another. By supporting communication across languages, RL helps employers support safety, teamwork, and retention, and helps communities welcome and include all of their residents. It reflects what PCRD does best: bringing university expertise into partnership with communities to create practical solutions.