The concept of genre-based pedagogy, deeply rooted in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), has been widely investigated and applied within primary and secondary educational settings. Despite its prevalent use, there remains a noticeable gap in its application at the tertiary level, particularly in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. This study applies the principles of genre-based pedagogy as articulated by SFL to develop a robust teaching model tailored for university environments. Our primary goal is to integrate academic literacy into both teaching and learning dynamics. By incorporating academic articles from key textbooks, this research aims to construct a foreign language teaching model that is intricately guided by principles of academic literacy. Through this model, it is anticipated that educators will be better equipped to enhance and nurture students’ academic literacy, thereby enriching their educational journey and academic success in higher education settings.