Develop a lesson plan for the first eight lessons. Start lesson one with a vocal test. Blow the middle C note on the pitch pipe and sing a simple major scale. Ask the student to follow. If she performs successfully, have her sing major scales in D, E, F and so on until you reach the upper limits of her range. Reverse the process and go down the scale until you find the lower limits of her range.
Train your student how to warm up properly in lesson two. Start with simple humming. Emphasize proper hydration and make sure fresh water is available for every lesson. Have him sing different vowel sounds with a major scale well within his key. After teaching warm-ups, have him sing his favorite song and note problem areas such as uneven pitch, running out of breath, singing from the throat and mumbling consonants. Take notes so you remember what he needs to work on.
Teach breathing techniques in lesson three. There are different points of view about how to properly teach breathing techniques, and you should be aware of them all. Some emphasize singing from the diaphragm, and some teachers have even identified two diaphragms from which to sing. Other vocal instructors emphasize singing from the mask exclusively. Decide which camp you're in or teach both approaches equally.
Dedicate lesson four to hard core scale work. Performing scales using perfect form and intonation is essential to any vocal lesson plan.
Emphasize consonants in lesson five. Focus particularly on the student's pronunciation of Ts, Ds, Bs and Ps and how to avoid plosives into the microphone, those distracting breath popping noises. Be sure to stress careful articulation of consonants, since the audience won't understand the words without it. It's Silent Night, not Silen' Nigh'.
Show the student how to interpret a song's meaning in lesson six. Emphasize the acting element of singing and how to communicate the words properly through expression, dynamics, tone, enunciation and, even more importantly, the mental picture of what the song conveys--the song's movie, if you will. Tell the student to draw from experiences in her own life and her memories of those experiences to capture the emotional intensity of the song.
Assist the student in choosing his repertoire in lesson seven by helping him pick two or three audition pieces he can count on. Make sure they're songs well within his vocal and emotional range. Remind him to stay within himself, as a simple song delivered well is much more impressive than a botched anthem--anyone who has cracked the high notes during the Star Spangled Banner can tell you the same.