Freestyle Breathing and Teqnique

Hi all. I am new to the boards and indeed new to swimming. I hope you don't mind me asking probably silly questions but I am very keen to get better. I have only ever been able to swim Freestyle with my head above the water. I have recently been trying to keep my head down and to breath to the side but more often than not I end up swallowing loads of water. Is there a way that I can bring my head out of the pool to breath without doing this? I have watched others in the pool who seem to take their head back and above their shoulder to breath. Others slow down on that stroke to enable them time to breath. Any tips I can try? Thanks a lot.