Enabling automatic audio in Blooket transformed how my struggling readers participated in games. The kid couldn’t decode the question fast enough. Timer ran out. Wrong answer. Frustration built. Shut down completely by question five.
Then I found the text-to-speech button. Game changer.
What Automatic Audio Actually Does
Text-to-speech reads every question out loud. Automatically. Students hear the question while seeing it on screen.
No more “I didn’t understand what it was asking.” No more “I ran out of time reading.” The audio levels the playing field.
Works for students with reading difficulties, English language learners, auditory learners, or anyone who processes information better by hearing it.
Not just accessibility. It’s good teaching.
Where to Find the Audio Setting
This is where teachers get confused. The audio setting isn’t where you think it is.
During game setup: When you’re hosting your Blooket game, go through your normal setup. Pick your question set. Choose your game mode. Enter the lobby settings screen.
Look for “Enable Audio” or “Text to Speech” or “Read Questions Aloud.” The exact wording changes depending on Blooket updates, but the concept stays the same.
Toggle it on. That’s it. Questions will now be read automatically when they appear.
Some game modes have this option more prominently displayed than others. If you don’t see it immediately, look in the advanced settings menu or accessibility options.
Student-Side Audio Controls
Here’s what most teachers miss. Even with automatic audio enabled at the host level, students have individual control.
Each student sees a speaker icon on their screen during gameplay. Usually in the corner. They can click it to turn audio on or off for themselves.
This matters because not every student wants audio. Your strong readers might find it distracting. Your auditory learners need it desperately.
Individual control means everyone gets what works for them. Nobody’s forced into one experience.
Tell students about this icon before the game starts. “If you want to hear questions read aloud, click the speaker. If you don’t, leave it off.”
How the Audio Actually Sounds
Blooket uses automated text-to-speech. Not a human voice. Think Siri or Alexa reading your questions.
The voice is clear. Pronunciation is usually accurate. Pacing is reasonable. Not perfect, but definitely functional.
Math problems with numbers get read as “two plus two equals four” not “2+2=4.” Helpful for most students. Occasionally weird with complex equations.
Scientific terms sometimes get butchered. “Mitochondria” might sound rough. But it’s close enough for students to understand the context.
If your questions have images or graphs, audio only reads the text portion. Visual information stays visual. Keep that in mind when designing questions for audio users.
When to Enable Audio
Enable it when:
- You have students with IEPs requiring audio accommodations
- Your class includes English language learners
- You’re teaching younger students still building reading fluency
- Content vocabulary is complex or unfamiliar
- You want to reduce reading speed as a barrier to demonstrating knowledge
I enable audio about 70% of the time now. Default it on unless I have a specific reason not to.
When to Skip Audio
Skip it when:
- You’re specifically assessing reading comprehension speed
- Your room is too loud for audio to work effectively
- Questions contain information that doesn’t translate well to speech (complex charts, diagrams)
- You’re testing silent reading skills intentionally
Some standardized test prep needs to happen without audio. Students need practice with the actual testing conditions they’ll face.
But for regular review and practice? Audio on. Always.
Audio and Different Game Modes
Audio works across most Blooket game modes but the experience varies.
Racing: Audio reads questions fast. Students who rely on audio might struggle with the speed-focused nature of this mode. Consider choosing modes that allow more processing time.
Gold Quest: Slower pace. Audio users have time to hear the full question and think. Works great here.
Tower Defense: Cooperative mode means audio helps the whole team. One student might hear something another missed. Check Tower Defense benefits for team play.
Battle Royale: High pressure. Audio helps but team dynamics and elimination stress still factor in. Audio alone doesn’t solve everything.
Cafe: Medium pace. Audio fits naturally. Good balance of speed and comprehension time.
Technical Requirements
Audio requires working device speakers or headphones. Obvious but worth stating.
Student’s volume muted? They won’t hear anything even with audio enabled. Tell students to check volume before joining.
School Chromebooks often have volume locked by IT. Test audio before running high-stakes games. Nothing worse than discovering audio doesn’t work mid-assessment.
Headphones help in noisy classrooms. One class I taught had terrible acoustics. Audio blasted from 30 devices created chaos. Headphones solved it immediately.
Combining Audio with Other Accessibility Features
Audio pairs well with other settings to create inclusive game experiences.
Audio + random names: Students focus on content, not identity or competition anxiety. Random names reduce social pressure while audio reduces reading barriers.
Audio + extended time: Some platforms let you adjust question timers. Blooket’s timing is preset per mode, but choosing slower-paced modes gives audio users adequate processing time.
Audio + homework mode: Homework assignments let students play at their own pace with audio on. No timer pressure. Review homework results to see how students perform when time isn’t a factor.
Common Audio Issues
Problem one: Audio cuts out mid-question. Usually a device or internet issue. Students need to refresh and rejoin. Late joining helps here if you enable it.
Problem two: Audio reads too fast or too slow. You can’t control speech rate in Blooket. It’s fixed. Students adapt or they use the text on screen as primary input.
Problem three: Audio doesn’t match what’s on screen. Rare but happens if questions were edited weirdly. Preview your question set before hosting to catch these glitches.
Problem four: Multiple devices playing audio creates echo. Headphones or tell students to enable audio individually rather than having it blast from every device simultaneously.
Creating Audio-Friendly Questions
If you’re enabling audio regularly, write questions with audio users in mind.
Use clear, simple sentence structure. Long convoluted questions are hard to follow when heard once.
Avoid relying heavily on visual formatting. Bold text and italics don’t translate to audio. Rephrase emphasis using word choice instead.
Spell out numbers and symbols when possible. “Percent” instead of “%.” “Equals” instead of “=.” Makes audio rendering cleaner.
Test your questions with audio on before game day. Hear what students hear. Revise questions that sound confusing.
Student Feedback
Ask students if audio helps. You might be surprised.
I assumed my strong readers wouldn’t use it. Half of them did anyway. Said it helped them focus. Kept them from zoning out.
One student told me audio lets him close his eyes and think without the visual distraction of the screen. Never would have predicted that benefit.
Another student hated audio. I found it annoying and slow. That’s why individual control matters. Check your reports to see if audio users perform differently than non-audio users.
FAQs
Q: Does audio work in solo games?
A: Yes. Solo play supports audio just like multiplayer games. Same toggle, same functionality.
Q: Can I preview what the audio sounds like?
A: Not officially. But enable it and click through a test game yourself. Hear exactly what students hear.
Q: Does audio slow down the game?
A: Slightly. Questions need time to be read. But game modes already account for this in their timing.
Q: Will audio reveal answers?
A: No. It only reads the question and answer choices, not which answer is correct.
Enabling automatic audio in Blooket takes one click and opens your game to every learner in your classroom.
