London ( CNN ) -- Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousufzai stood with the aid of nurses Friday for the first time since her shooting and is `` communicating very freely , '' according to the director of the UK hospital where she is undergoing treatment . Malala ca n't talk because she has a tracheotomy tube inserted to protect her airway , which was swollen after her gunshot injury , but she is writing coherent sentences , said Dave Rosser , director of University Hospitals Birmingham . `` We have no reason to believe she wo n't be able to talk when the tube is out , which may be in the next few days , '' he said . She `` is not out of the woods yet '' but is doing very well , he added . Taliban stifle media over Malala attack . The latest progress report -- more detailed than previous updates -- suggests that the girl shot after she defied the Taliban by insisting on the right of girls to go to school could make a good recovery . There `` is certainly physical damage to the brain '' from the bullet that entered Malala 's head , Rosser said , but she appears to be functioning well intellectually and has the motor control to stand , with help from nurses . Malala : A global symbol but still just a kid . `` Whether there 's any subtle intellectual or memory deficits down the line , it 's too early to say , '' he said . Queen Elizabeth Hospital released the first photographs of Malala since she was admitted on Sunday after being flown from Pakistan . She looks bruised and wan but clearly conscious . Rosser said Malala , who is aware of her surroundings and appears to have some memory of what happened , had agreed that the hospital could tell the public more about her medical condition . `` She is keen that people share the details . She is also keen that I thank people for their support and their interest , because she 's obviously aware of the amount of interest this is generating around the world , '' he said . One of the first things she asked nurses Tuesday afternoon , as she gradually regained consciousness , was what country she was in , he said . Social media : Messages for Malala . `` There is every sign that she understands why she 's here , '' he said . `` It 's a very difficult position for her , because she 's gone from being on her school bus , and the next thing she will be consciously aware of is being in a strange hospital in a different country . So she seems to have understood why she is no longer in Pakistan and what is happening to her . '' Malala has spoken to hospital staff in Urdu and seems to understand English , he said . Many well-wishers have sent messages of support for the teen , and the hospital has set up a bank account for donations . In terms of Malala 's care , the key concern for doctors at present is to treat signs of infection probably related to the path the bullet took through her body , Rosser said . The bullet entered above the back of her left eye , traveled down through her jaw and into her left shoulder , lodging in the tissue above her shoulder blade , he said . Her skull and jaw were damaged by its passage . MRI scans also show that the bullet grazed the side of her brain , he said , although in such cases , most of the damage tends to be caused by shock waves from the shot . Girl shot alongside Malala haunted by attack . The hospital is trying to arrange for the 15-year-old to listen to her father on the phone , although she can not speak because of the tracheotomy tube , he added . Malala is likely to spend another couple of weeks recovering before the team of specialists considers reconstructive surgery on her skull , using either a piece of bone that was initially removed or a titanium plate , Rosser said . She may also need surgery on her jaw joint . Malala inspires others to fight for education . `` It certainly would be over-optimistic to say there wo n't be any further problems , but it is possible she will make a smooth recovery , '' he said , adding that she probably faces weeks in the hospital even if all goes well . Doctors and nurses are trying very hard to limit communication to her medical needs rather than risk setting back her recovery by discussing the trauma of the attack , he said . The shooting in the northwestern district of Swat last week , which left Malala battling to recover from her injuries , generated a wave of shock and anger in Pakistan and around the world . The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the act , but they did n't appear to have anticipated the level of revulsion and condemnation that it would provoke . Thousands of people joined in rallies across Pakistan in support of the wounded teen , and calls have grown for a strong response from the government . Authorities are investigating the attack and say they have made a number of arrests . Attack on Malala galvanizes anti-Taliban feeling .
NEW : Hospital releases first photographs of Malala since she was admitted for treatment . Malala understands where she is and wants to thank people for their support , hospital says . Malala is communicating through written notes ; she ca n't talk because of a tracheotomy tube . She was shot after she defied the Taliban by insisting on girls ' right to education .