AI-Integrated Genre-Based Writing Instruction: A Systematic Review and Pedagogical Framework

Abstract

This review investigates how recent studies conceptualise the theoretical foundations, pedagogical practices, learning outcomes, and the integration of technology and artificial intelligence within genre-based writing instruction. It aims to systematically synthesise these dimensions and develop an in-depth understanding of genre-based writing instruction in contexts where English is learned as a second or foreign language. The review’s significance lies in bringing these dimensions together within a single explanatory framework, as previous studies have often examined them in isolation. This review analysed 41 empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025, identified through ERIC, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. The findings show that the genre-based approach is established mainly in Systemic Functional Linguistics and English for Specific Purposes, whereas cognitive and sociocultural perspectives are increasingly incorporated. The Teaching and Learning Cycle remains the dominant instructional model, although hybrid pedagogies increasingly combine genre instruction with collaborative activities and digital tools. The studies report improvements in writing performance and genre awareness, together with emerging evidence of higher-order thinking skills and self-regulatory outcomes, including critical thinking, creativity, and self-regulated learning. However, the mechanisms linking instructional practices to these outcomes remain insufficiently explained, and none of the included studies explicitly integrated artificial intelligence. Based on these findings, the review proposes an integrated framework that links the genre-based approach with emerging AI-supported writing practices. Future research ought to test this framework in diverse contexts and adopt more robust, multidimensional assessment methods.