teaching ppl swim

Question
i tried to teach a 22 year old man to swim breathstrok style. Me
myself is not a very good swimmer, because i taught myself by
watching others, so i have never had any proper lesson. So i don't
know what i am teaching him wrong, cos he seems just can't float
and can't go back on the surface and change breath, and yesterday,
he almost drowned!!!! can you please tell me how you teach ppl
swim? what are the first things they need to learn?etc..
thank you very much

Answer
Hi,
I do NOT suggest you try to teach this person or anyone how to swim. It's just not safe. You should have someone that is trained to teach people how to swim. I suggest taking a class from the American Red Cross and getting certified as a Water Safety Instructor. From there, you can start teaching people how to swim. I would suggest that this man(and yourself for that matter) take some adult swim lessons with the local park district, YMCA, ect. to help you out. Don't get discouraged, have fun with it!