The objectives of this research are: (1) To know the class situation during the implementation of picture series in teaching writing. (2) To know the improvement of students’ ability in writing recount text using picture series. The subjects of the research are thirty students of class X SMA N 1 Barusjahe. In collecting the data, the researcher used observation, interview, field notes, photographs and test. The tests were conducted before the action (pre-test) and after the action (posttest). The result of the research shows that there are positive improvements in students’ writing ability and the class situation during the teaching learning process. The results of the tests improved, from the pre-test (conducted before the action) to the post-tests (conducted after the action). The mean scores of the test result are 56 for the pre-test, 66.74 for the post-test of cycle 1 and 70.2 for the posttest in the second, and the final post-test is 70.68. And also there are improvements in students’ writing ability; (1) the students were more motivated in joining the writing class, (2) they paid much attention when the researcher explain about the picture series and (3) they were also more confident when they were asked to write individually.
Keywords: picture series, classroom action research, writing.