Registration opens for the year’s largest gathering of ELA educators, coinciding with the country’s 250th birthday celebration in Philadelphia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) will welcome actor, director, author, and lifelong literacy advocate LeVar Burton to the main stage of the 2026 NCTE Annual Convention, happening November 19–22 in Philadelphia.
Registration is now open for #NCTE26, whose theme—“Imagine. Innovate. Inspire.”—is an opportunity for English language arts educators, researchers, and leaders to think collectively about the future of ELA during an era of rapid change and emerging possibilities. Attendees will hear a fireside chat with Burton, the honored recipient of seven NAACP Awards, a Peabody, a Grammy, and 15 Emmys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Children’s & Family Emmys. A book signing will follow. Burton’s adult debut memoir, Take My Word for It, will be published the week before the Convention.
A passionate storyteller across media, Burton’s decades-long body of work includes starring roles in Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is the award-winning author of Aftermath, The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, and A Kids Book About Imagination. In 2023, Burton premiered his first documentary, The Right to Read, which positions the literacy crisis in America as a civil rights issue. His podcasts include the enormously popular LeVar Burton Reads as well as Sound Detectives, aimed at elementary students.
Yet Burton remains most proud of his role as host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children’s series Reading Rainbow. Airing from 1983 to 2009, it was not only one of the longest-running children’s television shows in history, but also one of the most acclaimed.
Register now for the 2026 NCTE Annual Convention to lock in last year’s lower rates.
About NCTE
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is the professional organization for literacy teachers spanning preK through college. Through expertise and advocacy from its members’ professional research, practice, and knowledge, NCTE has served at the forefront of every major improvement in the teaching and learning of English and the language arts since 1911. For more information, please visit ncte.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Allie Ciaramella, NCTE: media@ncte.org