AfterMaths: Traitors, Trust and Timesing

This week’s Aftermaths episode takes an unexpectedly statistical turn as Jon and Becky explore the mathematics behind The Traitors. From probability and ratios to real-world data on win rates, they uncover why being a traitor is statistically the smartest move. Along the way, they reveal how signal-to-noise problems, conditional probability and human psychology combine to make the programme a perfect case study for applied maths in the wild.

They also turn their attention to a fascinating concept from educational research: porridge words. Drawing on the work of Kate Quaid and Edward de Bono, Jon introduces the idea that children’s imprecise mathematical language can still offer valuable insights into their thinking. Becky connects this to her love of etymology and to the importance of recognising the “mess in the middle” of learning, where understanding develops before precision in vocabulary.

The episode links back to Jon’s recent Substack article on mathematical language, Porridge Words and the Path to Mathematical Thinking, which expands on the research discussed here.

Read it here: https://joncripwell.substack.com/p/porridge-words-and-the-path-to-mathematical

In the second half of the episode, Jon and Becky reflect on their conversation with Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond about maths journaling. They discuss how journaling can capture the full learning journey, support reasoning and assessment for learning, and help pupils see themselves as mathematicians. From anchor charts to brain dumps, they consider practical ways teachers can make thinking visible without adding to workload.

Listeners are invited to share how they are using maths journaling in their own classrooms by emailing primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk.