My attempt here to construe constructivism is organized into two parts. The first part briefly synthesizes findings of research in the constructivist tradition conducted during the past decade and a half. It looks at organizational aspects of constructivity, selective aspects of constructivity, and ve aspects of constructivity. Though the emphasis in this review is on research in the United States, it impossible to exclude contributions of researchers from other countnes. The constructivist tradition is not only interdisciplinary: it is also intemational. The second part considers the impact of the constructivist t the"revolution" -on four issues of social and political importance in the United States: readability of texts, assessment of reading ability, instruction in reading. and conception of literacy