Hmmm, "jealous Chinese English teachers?" Now you want to bring them into the mix, too? I'll save my comments on that for another time; however, I seriously hope you're not so petty as to get caught up in all that.

As for student evaluations of FT's, my feeling on that is that if you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. Sure, in some situations, some students give assessments of teachers that are based on perceived faults that have nothing to do with the quality of said teacher. And some administrators are foolish enough to follow through on those complaints, but I don't think those complaints carry enough weight to be an important part of this discussion. In fact, it's my opinion that many of those complaints should carry more weight than they actually do. I could give you multiple examples of behavior by "teachers" that were included in such evaluations and would have gotten anyone fired in most Western countries, but the demand for teachers here earns them another chance.

Your question: "Are Chinese students capable academically to engage in a meaningful dialogue with an English-speaking person?" Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Just how capable do you want them to be? And if they are not capable, is that always their fault? Again this raises the question about the quality of EFL education in China. And, sorry, I don't feel like being kinder to FT's who have no business being here in the first place. Those that do belong in this teaching environment should be capable of addressing this problem for themselves. In addition, they will never tire of finding solutions, will involve the students in those solutions and would rather eat smelly tofu than blame the students. It is what it is, Linguisticus, and I can only wonder why you would excuse the absence of patience so prevalent amongst EFL teachers in China.

There are certain arguments that I would listen to. Such as that of the one child policy having spawned a generation of children so doted upon by their grandparents that teachers must work very hard to overcome the damage done by that degree of doting. But what I'm trying to avoid here and trying hard to get through to so many of you is that these all encompassing statements regarding students are useless if we are to have a meaningful discourse on the existing EFL situation. Let's you and I share the blame and pass it around in varying proportions to other teachers, as well as the students, the administrators, the system itself and, what the hell, even ridiculous social policies.

"No wonder the majority of Chinese students come to your class being kind of freaked out, dispirited, clueless - what have they learned in so many years, and how can they put it to any use?" Your statement, Linguisticus, and I assume by "your class" you mean EFL classes in general because my students, for the most part, don't come to my class all freaked out, or dispirited or clueless. Yes, there's always a few - usually boys who demonstrate cluelessness and who exemplify the inanity of the one child policy and the resulting "guidance" of grandparents who are still locked into a feudal mentality that favors boys over girls. However, I always mentally stick those students into my 10% box that I open only when I have the left over energy to do so. If your class is one hundred percent freaked out etc., I would strongly suggest that either you've simply given up or that you're in the wrong school and that your talents are being wasted there.

Nor can I accept your characterization of students as having been dumbed down deliberately. What possible purpose could that serve? Good lord man, this society is endeavoring to reach the highest apples on the tree and you think they want to construct ladders made of jello? Yes, there is incompetence to be found everywhere. That's sad, but inescapable. This is not a process that will solve itself overnight. But it will be solved a lot quicker if we stop being apologists for pretend teachers, and along with many parents and many students start asking some serious questions about what qualifies those teachers to be put in positions of such importance.