Hand in hand with Kitas and schools, English for children taught with heart and understanding.
Experienced and competent since 1990.
Early years second language aquisition and tuition.
Concept
Elizabeth Laplace, Owner
Sylke Mouroum-Ebeler, Founder
Originally named Sprachcenter Mouroum, SCM was founded by Ms. Mouroum in 1990. After more than 36 years of experience teaching foreign languages to children in Kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, Ms. Mouroum has experienced a wide range of educational methods and theoretical concepts. The most suitable of which by far has been the interactive concept for language learning, and thus became the basis of our curriculum here at Sprachcenter Creative Minds (SCM).
At Sprachcenter Creative Minds (SCM), experience, professional expertise, dedication, and heart are the pillars of our work. SCM provides a variety of fun, creative, and engaging ways for children to learn foreign languages. Our main focus is on young learners in Kitas and schools throughout Berlin.
Our Goals
- To provide young children with a positive and lasting first experience of learning a foreign language.
- To inspire curiosity and enthusiasm for foreign languages.
- To build confidence and fluency.
- To motivate children to continue learning and persevere through challenges or learning blocks.
- To encourage cultural understanding through language learning.
Methodology / TPR (Total Physical Response)
SCM follows an interactive, multi-sensory approach in which movement-based activities and hands-on engagement are used to support language acquisition in a natural and enjoyable way. Methods such as TPR (Total Physical Response) play an important role in our classes. TPR uses gestures, actions, and real-life situations to help children acquire a foreign language in a way that mirrors natural first-language development.
During childhood, the brain is especially receptive to language learning, allowing children to naturally develop an understanding of melody, rhythm, articulation, and intonation. Through play, children are constantly exposed to new linguistic structures, and their enthusiasm for communication can be seen as they interact with one another.
This approach allows children to focus on communication without fear of making mistakes. As a result, comprehension increases naturally, helping children respond positively and confidently to the foreign language. This playful introduction is particularly effective for young learners.
Our Instructors
In keeping with this methodology, our native-speaking instructors are trained according to our pedagogical principles and are experienced in the fundamentals of foreign language acquisition for both Kindergarten and school-aged children.
Our course leaders awaken children’s curiosity and excitement for foreign languages through games, stories, singing, movement, and interactive activities — all conducted in the target language. This not only introduces children to different cultures and ways of life, but also helps them recognize similarities between themselves and children from other countries.
Alongside promoting cultural awareness and social competencies, our approach supports the development of an open-minded and humanistic worldview. Our curriculum is always connected to the children’s immediate environment and experiences, making learning both meaningful and accessible.
We also understand that children maintain attention and concentration best when lessons are varied, playful, and enjoyable. No child is ever forced to speak during class; instead, each child is given the time and support they need to process and use the language comfortably.
In our increasingly globalized world, understanding foreign languages is more important than ever. At SCM, we ensure that early language learning remains child-friendly, engaging, and aligned with the principles of the Berlin educational program.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or comments.
Sylke Mouroum, Founder
Experience, professional expertise and dedication are the pillars of our work at Sprachcenter Mouroum. In her 30 years teaching foreign languages to children in Kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, Frau Mouroum, (a qualified English teacher and founder of Sprachcenter Mouroum), has experienced a wide range of educational methods and theoretical concepts. The most suitable of which by far is the interactive concept for language learning, and is thus the basis of our curriculum here at Sprachcenter Mouroum (SCM).
In-keeping with this methodology, our native English-speaking teachers are fully trained and qualified according to our paedogogical principles and are well-versed in the fundamentals of second language acquisition at both Kindergarten and school ages.
Our course leaders use their lessons to awaken the children‘s curiosity and excitement for the English language through games, reading and understanding stories, singing songs and dancing: all of which is conducted in English. This allows the pupils to not only discover new facts about children in other countries, but means they can also identify similiarities with themselves.
Along with promoting cultural comptencies, our approach enables us to contribute to the development of an open, humanist mindset. Our methodology and curriculum mean that our English classes are always directly related to the children’s immediate environment. Additionally, our teachers know that they can only maintain the children’s attention and concentration levels if their lessons are fun, varied and enjoyable.
This is achieved through the use of movement-based activities, and the incorporation of music, rhythm and instruments, as well as group and partner –oriented tasks. Numerous interesting illustrated stories (Story Approach), songs, movement games, images, musical instruments, hand puppets and other self-developed primary resources allow us to create lively and activity-based English classes.
Our methodology engages the children on a multi-sensory level, thereby contributing to the overall learning process. Through routines, role plays and other real-life situations the children develop their confidence to converse and communicate in a foreign language. No child is ever forced to speak during class, but is given the time he or she needs to process the linguistic information.
Methods such as TPR (Total Physical Reposnse), where words are learned alongside gestures, actions and speech, are particularly useful in second language acquisition and are thus present in our classes, too. Such concepts enable children to focus on the non-verbal aspects of communication. In doing so, their abilitiy to comprehend the foreign language increases and they are able to react positively, without the fear of making mistakes. This playful introduction to a second language is particularly successful for young learners.
During childhood, our brains are programmed to learn our native language, allowing us to quickly develop a feel for the melodies, rhythms, articulation and intonation of all spoken language. During play, children are constantly exposed to new linguistic structures and their joy and enthusiasm for using and creating language can be witnessed as they interact with one another.
In our increasingly globalised world, gaining an understanding of foreign languages is ever-more important. We ensure that our early-years language teaching is always playful and child-friendly , whilst taking the principles of the Berlin educational programme into account. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or comments.
