I can't agree with the assertion by "earthling" that the need for knowledge of Western cultures diminishes the demand for non-native EFL teachers in China. Granted, many students - especially in the more metropolitan areas - have an expressed interest in our culture; however, I don't see that as an overriding factor regarding the low demand for non-native speakers.

I think that what needs to be factored in is that non-native speakers, though they can speak and write the language well, have rarely acquired the subtleties of the spoken language. Now, in that context, culture could become a part of this discussion. Another unfortunate negative is that employers must often realize that their students have had more exposure to native-speaker accents - not just in the classroom, but through the media as well. But, less I create an argument here, I will add the caveat that there are many non-native speakers who have acquired a Western accent; moreover, I've encountered some non-native speakers that can speak the English language better than some of my countrymen.

Interestingly,I had a Linguistics teacher in America who was born in China and whose English was better than most of the other teachers at my college. She received her MA in languages from a university in Shanghai and went on the get her PHD in America. So, it is possible to acquire a native-speaker accent and to therefore be employable in China. But it begs the question, could my teacher's English skills have been so great had she been taught by non-native speakers? Doubtful.

On the other hand, I still believe there is a place for non-native teachers in Chinese classrooms. As Yingwin rightly pointed out, there are many business type classes that would be a perfect fit for them. Another thing to consider is that non-native English speakers have often learned the written language and the grammar far better than the average college graduate in America and perhaps other Western countries as well. Hopefully there will come a time when employers and/or administrators will take this into consideration. But again, it's perfectly understandable that most non-native speakers would not be considered appropriate for the Oral English classrooms. Ask yourself if you'd prefer to learn Chinese from someone who has learned it as a second language or from a qualified native speaker.

Getting back to the question of culture though, it surprises me that Earthling suggests that 25% of his classes are taken up by culture lessons. First, this flies in the face of the need to personalize lessons in the ESL/EFL classroom. Next,it places too much emphasis on the teacher and not enough on the student. (Are you a lecturer, or a facilitator?) Also, it doesn't address the important need for students to prepare for their English exams. And finally, though I could go on and on, it smacks of a kind of chauvinism that has no real place in the classroom.

Having said all that in the above paragraph though, I must also recognize my own shortcomings. Meaning, I'm often at a loss when asked to discuss contemporary American culture. "What American culture?" I ask myself. "Youth culture, McDonalds culture, generic culture of sameness and redundancy wherever you look?" "Shopping culture." "Red neck culture?" "Liberal culture." "Religious culture?" "Driving the car culture." "Hip-hop culture?" Ha! How 'bout the culture that's created and nurtured by the advertising companies. No thanks. Well anyway, I can't really pin-point it and to simply say it is diverse doesn't cut it. No thanks, I have no desire to teach "American Culture," whatever the hell that is. I think I'll just stick to teaching English. Yeah, I'll answer the questions - when they come up - to the best of my ability and often with tongue in cheek. But as to using culture as 25% of my class, well, forget it.