This is one of my six new teaching methods proven to get faster longer-lasting results. Learning to swim requires the mind to send a message to muscles to relax when you learn to float. This also reduces breathing tension.
There’s a tendency for any beginner to hold their breath when they put their face in the water. Then they have to exhale and inhale hard and fast. That is not how you breathe taking a walk or slow jog. Breathing is slower, continuously in and out replacing only a small portion of your total air supply.
Also, in the arm recovery phase swimming you must let your prime mover agonist muscles relax. Then you alternately relax your antagonist muscles when your prime mover muscles are working. This is mind control.
Wearing goggles is a must so underwater your mind is seeing what it should be feeling in the correct swimming pattern to be more efficient. If you are weak, then get stronger by doing the skill correctly. But maybe while learning slow it all down so your brain can process the feedback better and allow you time to apply the correct force without quickly using up all your air.