In a learner-centred classroom, how much intervention a teacher should provide in the process of learning is a very important issue. The answer to this question is quite complex. Is there the concordance between the teacher’s expectations and the students’ expectations in key areas such as the respective roles in learning, classroom structure, teaching and even the role of school? These factors are related to the degree of teacher intervention and learner autonomy which will be expected and tolerated in the classroom. This is especially true in a classroom where the teacher and students come from different sociocultural environments. This paper will discuss inherent problems of instituting a learner-centred classroom where a lecturer, not from the dominant culture, has attempted to create a learner-centred environment. The presentation will discuss the implications and difficulties of such an approach using interview data from lecturers and students in a skill-based English course conducted at a teacher training institute in Hong Kong. The perceptions and expectations of both parties will be presented and explored. Discussion will counter around the implications of learner-centred instruction in a traditional educational system.