Authors of pictures, draughtsmen of words

Human thought is unique. We have the ability to create and share meaning through the use of various kinds of symbol systems. This study explored the shared dynamics of visual and verbal symbolic thought processes and their consequences for the acquisition of literacy. In particular, the study focused on the writing, reading, and drawing processes of the children in a process-based first-grade classroom. Research methods included participant/observations, open-ended interviews, audio-taped classroom discussions and interviews, and samples of the writing and drawing of the children in the entire class, with a special focus on five of the students. A detailed analysis of the data revealed that young children strive to transfer the many dimensions of their mental images to the page, especially the dimensions of time, space, movement, and color. As they transfer these images, they rely on both words and pictures in a complementary manner, depending on the task at hand and the cognitive bias of the child. This research calls for an extension of the definition of literacy to include multi-literacies, and further investigations of the fine-tuning of these literacies that occurs beyond elementary school into adulthood

Attitudes to Ageing and to Geriatric Medicine

The ageing of populations across the developed and developing world is a consequence of success (better nutrition and sanitation, improved medical care, greater choice about whether and when to have children) but older people are not always viewed or portrayed in a positive light, either in the hospital setting or in wider society. Similarly, geriatric medicine is a low prestige specialty, facing problems with recruitment. Even the British Geriatrics Society debates changing its name since "geriatrics" has "acquired negative connotations". Here, we briefly review the attitudes to geriatric medicine among medical professionals, including physicians, medical students and nurses. Societal attitudes to ageing are explored from different eras and across cultural perspectives. We consider how older people's own attitudes to their health may impact both their recovery from illness and life expectancy. We conclude that it is essential to consider the broader cultural milieu of medical schools, as this may have a greater influence than the formal curriculum on physicians' personality and conduct. Positive forces such as governmental edicts to abolish ageist practices may be undermined by what medical students hear and see on the wards. With the ageing of the inpatient population, it is critical that all physicians and nursing staff respect the ageing process and provide dignified and appropriate care to vulnerable older people