Comic Mnemonics
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Biography

Jim Sarris never studied Spanish in high school or college. He majored in Education at the University of Massachusetts (1982) with a concentration in Mathematics. During his last semester, he completed his student-teaching assignment as a math teacher in London, England. Once he returned home, his plan was to travel to Alaska for one last adventure before becoming a math teacher.

Needless to say, things didn't turn out the way they were planned.

Somewhere around Cleveland, Ohio, on his way to Alaska, he decided to learn Spanish. To make a long story short, he made it to Alaska and began teaching himself (using mmemonic devices) to learn a ton of vocabulary in a short period of time.

After having survived his experience as a salmon fisherman, he traveled out west for a bit and then returned to New York, worked as a bartender, saved money and continued to study Spanish on his own. A year later he enrolled in a study abroad program and travelled to Seville, Spain where he became fluent in record time. (under three months). He returned to the States, got certified as a Spanish teacher and has been teaching math and Spanish for the last 15 years. He married a Spaniard, is raising his two boy bilingually and spends the summers in Spain.

And of course, he has passed on his love and belief in mnemonics to his students who use them almost everyday in class.

Contact info

Jim Sarris, 293 Benedict Ave., Tarrytown, NY, 10591, cell phone (914)-552-3132.

Background information on Comic Mnemonics

Comic Mnemonics came about as a way of helping his struggling students remember their verbs. Sarris applied the same methods he used in Alaska to and them found them to be just as effective with high school students.

Its success can be attributed to its "out-of-the-ordinary" approach to memorizing. Funny phrases and goofy illustrations aren't normally the methods used to present vocabulary. Yet, they have been proven again and again in scientific studies to be the most effective way to remember vocabulary.

The book itself was created over a series of years. Sarris compiled the mnemonics his classes had created and used and came up with Comic Mnemonics. Along the way, he added the conjugations and verb review to make it a one-stop-shopping resource for all beginner verb needs. Once it was made available to the public, he received many emails from fellow teachers who urged him to add activities. He did and now the package is the original book along with 4 CDs.

Sarris began getting alot of inquiries from parents who wanted a copy of the book for their child to use at home. Consequently, Sarris began marketing the book and CDs to parents, and the homeschool community, as well as to Spanish teachers.

Today, it is found on Amazon.com, in bookstores around the country and on the web at www.learnspanishfaster.com

Sample questions

• What are the reasons for using mnemonics?
• How do mnemonics work?
• Where do mnemonics come from?
• Are there different types of mnemonics?
• How can mnemonics be part of the learning process?
• What type of student benefits most from mnemonics?
• Shouldn't students be more concerned with developing critical thinking skills?
• What is the secret of the success you've had with mnemonics in your classes?
• Don't mnemonics feed into the "memorizing overload that students feel?
• If mnemonics are so effective, why aren't they seen more in schools?

Click here to read testimonials.