The Pokémon Go craze has been sweeping the world as millions of players search for Oddishes, Ratattas and Pikachus.

And some teachers are thinking of ways of harnessing the game’s popularity to educational benefit.

Teachers have already uploaded 30 Pokémon Go-themed resources to the TES Resources website, including a phonics display, a way for early years pupils to make their own version of the game and a maths starter activity in which students work out the quickest way to hatch nine Pokémon eggs through either walking or cycling.

In the USA, where the game came out earlier than in the UK, some teachers have been advocating the game as a way of learning - one Reddit thread entitled “Can Pokémon Go provide educational benefit?” has suggestions ranging from using it for map skills to asking students to identify plants while hunting Pokémon in woodland near the school.

‘Gaming helps me connect with my pupils’

WorstTeacher said: “There are some possible math applications too, data collection and stuff. I don’t think it’s a new way to teach anything, but it could be a fun change of pace or project option for stuff.”

“I also play it,” said IronTeach. “So I’m thinking of using it to get kids writing. I teach English and already know there will be great stories to tell. I find it’s better to embrace something like this with my students because the more they enjoy my class the more they’ll learn.”

But Kanotari added: “We’re probably going to use it as a teambuilding/get to know you activity for band camp. I’ve done well in the past by letting my students know that I’m an avid gamer. It really helps me connect with them. But actually using it to teach a concept? That’s going to be challenging.”

But for others, well, they just seem to be enjoying playing it themselves.

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