The article discusses the appropriateness and effectiveness of "Western" language-teaching methods for use in Chinese situations from the point of view of Chinese teachers of English. The Western methods intend to promote grammatical and sociolinguistic competence by implying a learner-centered approach to curriculum and teaching. In China, foreign language is perceived as a necessary tool in developing and changing the core of the country's economic system, and foreign language teaching is influenced by this perception. The Chinese approach to foreign language teaching has concentrated on the academic study of grammar, literature, and in-depth analysis of literary texts, following traditional Chinese scholarly practice. Traditional Chinese educational strategies that emphasized on memorization, discussion, and grammar-translation, have blended with Western influences on Chinese education, such as missionary use of total immersion in the foreign language. These influences have resulted in grammar-translation, intensive reading, and respect for the study of literature.